Love Your Neighbors

Since we moved into our house a year ago, we have been very intentional in both prayer and action with getting to know our neighbors. Many have lived here for 30+ years and have become used to the sad fact that people are busy and don't make as much time for their neighbors like they used to. We are usually met with an attitude of "what's the catch," like we are trying to sell them something or invite them to church when we interact with them in ways like - making dinners when a baby is born, checking in on them after a major back surgery, offering to help unpack after moving in, and bringing them some of our garden's first fruits. But we have made good relationships with a few neighbors, and we've shared turns watering each other's gardens, feeding the cats, fixing TV problems, bringing in their garbage cans and getting the mail, etc.

We know that God provided this house especially for us, and we have been so, so blessed by how we've been able to use it this year - College Dinners (and other college events) are up to 20 people, we had two male students live w/ us for a few weeks in August, hosting small group (our bible study/community group from church), hosting a few larger church events, and just serving as a refuge for countless students as they struggle through the decisions of college life. But we don't want to just take the blessing of the house; we want to also build community in our neighborhood and take time to love on them as well. We know that our neighbors see all the cars in our driveway and lining the street, and the fun events in the back yard.

So Erik came up with the idea of a street party where we could just put some chairs out, eat, listen to music, let the kids play, and get to know each other. We prayed through it, and decided that the late summer would be best because of the weather (although it was still 80 degrees last night!) We printed out invitations and walked around to each house to deliver them on Sunday, and included an invitation for them to give to another neighbor. These are all neighbors who live directly in front of, beside or behind us, and we have met them each before - some we see a lot, and some we've only met once or twice. One stood behind his glass door and asked "what do you want," one asked me "what kind of church do you go to anyway?," and one lady invited us in to meet her whole family who was visiting - kids, grandkids and two sets of twin great-grandkids!

So we prayed that they would feel a desire to get to know their neighbors. We prayed that their schedules and traffic would be free for them to get here. We prayed they would invite their neighbors. We asked our small group to pray, and I sent a mass text to 25 "prayer warriors" asking them to pray for our neighbors to feel God's love through us.

We set up tables and chairs, lawn chairs, and blankets in the front yard. We had "easy listening" music. We had an area set up for drinks and desserts - I made three apple crisps from the apples we picked in the mountains last weekend, and Erik made his famous homemade ice cream. We had sidewalk chalk and corn hole for the kids to play with.

And WOW! God answered the prayers for community, and a need was clearly met! We had 33 people in attendance - 23 adults and 10 kids! About 8 of them are over 60 years old, 4 are over 70 years old, and three of these are widows and live alone. All of our neighbors except for one came, and two more who we had not met came as well. People were catching up after years of not seeing each other, and waiting in line to have me introduce them to neighbors whom they have lived across the street from for years. It got dark within an hour, but people were still standing outside talking to each other! And a few stayed to help us get everything cleaned up and back inside. As they each left, I hugged them and thanked them for coming. They all were so appreciative and thankful for the event. "We just loved this," "thank y'all - what a nice event," and "bless you" were common phrases! We were quick to give the glory to God.

Please see the attached picture and join us in praising God for his work through us in our neighborhood, and praying for continued conversations and relationships.
We are using this verse as our motivation:
- Matthew 22:36-40: "Teacher, which command in the law is the most important? Jesus answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands."

But I loved the surprise of the three widows. We do a lot in our church with adoption, and we went to Ethiopia and met orphans this summer.
- James 1:27: "Religion that God accepts as pure and blameless is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help ..."
But how many widows are we really serving? Last night, Erik overheard our neighbor Emily talking about wanting a new TV. Erik gave her advice on which to buy, and that he would even come to help install it. This afternoon, Emily called to tell me she bought the TV Erik suggested, and asked if he could come set it up at his convenience. She said she told the TV salesman that Erik overhearing her conversation was a blessing from the Lord! Her husband was very handy, but since he has passed away, she usually has to pay others to help with things like this. She asked how much she could pay Erik, and I told her that we would not accept payment, but that this is just part of taking care of your neighbors! (Emily is also the neighbor who has been letting us pick her muscadine grapes this summer. Sooo good!)

It fills us with such joy to be serving Him, both far away and right here in our front yard ... literally.

Who are your neighbors?

Welcome Pax & Whit!

We adopted six-week-old kittens from under a bush in April, and they have been so much fun for us! The boy (with Erik) is Paxton and the girl (with me) is Whitfield - named after Paxton & Whitfield, a cheese company in England. Since this picture, their personalities have totally changed. Pax is wild and crazy and loves to get into everything - he also looovvveeesss attention from me. He drives Erik crazy sometimes, so he adores the "she's so good" personality of his baby girl. I grew up with cats and Erik grew up with dogs, but we have had a lot of entertainment from these two. We've only had them 5 months and already can't imagine life without them!

Kari's job story ... a year later!

I sent an e-mail to my grad school professors to update them on my new job in ministry. It's so detailed that I decided to post it here, since many people ask how I got to where I am. It's long, so grab a drink and find a comfy seat.

In spring/summer 2008, I was doing my job search in Housing & Residence Life for an Area Coordinator-type position in either KY or TN to be closer to our families and still be in the south. In June, I still didn't have a job, so Erik and I had to move off campus (!!!! - first time ever! I lived on for 11 years!!) so my on-campus apartment could be cleaned and moved in to, even though I still had 3 weeks of work left. We found a townhouse to rent on craig's list. It's 10 miles west of campus. This was an important move, as we needed a place we could easily move out of when I found a job. So then July came and I was officially voluntarily unemployed - weird feeling - and then the dream job opened up at Vanderbilt about a week later. On paper, it was everything we had prayed for. The campus interview was awesome (my would-be supervisor was even at IU grad!), but at the end of the day when I was processing it with Erik, I knew we were not supposed to be there. It was the end of July!!! What was I going to do?!?! Training was just days around the corner!! I just blurted out that "I think I'm going to look into college ministry." I didn't even know what that meant or why I said it!

So on Aug 1, I talked with a contact in UNC Charlotte's religious life office. She sent me some names and churches. I ended up meeting w/ the Executive Dir. of CharlotteONE (charlotteone.org), which is a ministry to reach young adults and singles in Charlotte. Over 600 people come out every Tuesday night uptown to worship and hear a message. There are 30 partner churches in the city to get people connected to a local church. I met with him for a few hours at Starbucks, and then he sent an e-mail to the pastors of the partner churches, letting them know that I was interested in working with college ministry. What we learned is that there are few few churches in Charlotte with a college ministry program, so he got a large response. He put them in order for me as far as location and type of church, and then I met with a few of the pastors over coffee. There was one guy/church I really connected with, and after about three meetings he told me the position was mine if I wanted it. I was everything they had been praying for - no formal interview, no resume, no reference checks. Wow! And crazy! (so unlike ACPA and all the Housing job conferences.)

It was just amazing how God clearly laid out the path I was to take and everything perfectly fell into place. On October 1, I came on staff (part time) as the College Pastor with University City Fellowship (ucfellowship.org), a non-denominational church about 15 mins from UNC Charlotte. And it is the PERFECT job for me! I never ever thought I'd leave Housing, but the reality is that I was done supervising RAs. My job description now is to minister (aka counsel) students, build relationships, do discipleship/bible studies, etc. So basically I'm getting paid to hang out w/ college students! YESSS! I became a RA 10 years ago to work with college students ... I chose to go into Student Affairs to work with college students ... I feel so blessed that I am still relevant and passionate enough to be working with college students! Most of my colleagues have moved up into admin roles, and I never thought at 30 I'd be doing the same thing I started so long ago.

So here's a typical week or two -
Sun - since we meet in a high school, we have to set up and tear down the church. Work 6:30a to 12:30p - 7:30a in the summer! (College students go to service, so I don't have my own meeting on Sundays. I am in charge of the cafe with bagels and coffee and info tables.)
Mon - staff meeting at the church offices. this is typically the only time all week I have to go in the office! I turn in my receipts and do about an hour of office stuff.
Every other Monday is College Dinner. Erik and I have the students over for dinner and games/activities. About 12-15 students come each time. (We are moving this to every other Thurs in the fall, and starting a women's issues/bible study on the other Thurs.)
Tues - Fri - around 5 meetings in coffee shops both on and off campus. Catching up w/ students, and doing a discipleship book series we have. I also meet w/ my pastor for the discipleship book and general ministry updates.
Other - camping trip, fun/cultural events, helping them move, helping them build connections with campus offices/staff, interventions, counseling ... and everything else a college student may need to feel loved and cared for!

One of the coolest parts was redefining some relationships with my old students who I supervised at UNC Charlotte, and doing that discipleship study with them each week - we had time to do that now that we weren't talking about bulletin boards, their residents, incident reports, etc. I also go to lunch on campus with some of my old colleagues every now and then, which is great to keep up that connection.

Mostly this summer, we have other church events that I work, and then the college students volunteer, too, so that's another way we're connecting. A few weeks ago, I got to put on my Housing hat again and do a roommate agreement with three of my girls who are moving in together! Too fun! And next Friday, our group will be helping some of the freshmen move in (folks who graduated from our h.s. ministry and are going to UNC Charlotte, so they'll be in my college ministry.) - AND they are living in the res. hall I was in for 3 years! What a "full circle" event that will be for me!

Outside of working for church, Erik and I are really involved with an amazing small group (15 adults and about 11 kids, with 6 more on the way!). We meet with them formally on Wednesday nights, and informally a lot through the week! They are Charlotte family.

To bring this all around ... God totally wants us here, and that has been so apparent through this journey this year. So, we started looking for a house in November ... and we'll be closing on one this Friday (August 21)! We are thrilled to have a permanent place for our ministry that is right in the heart of the church community - it's 4.2 miles north of UNC Charlotte and 5.5 miles from church, in a town called Harrisburg. It's a 1970 brick ranch with a half acre and a front porch and all the old and Southern charm I need. I plan on reconnecting with my Indiana farming heritage!

I would not be this successful without the experiences I had in Housing, but also in the master's program at Clemson. I am now so glad I picked a counseling program and not an administrative program. So much of my job is counseling! I have students at community colleges looking to transfer to UNC Charlotte = counseling. We talk about following God's will for your life and career (related to a major) = counseling. Boyfriends/relationships = counseling (I wish I took marriage/family counseling as my elective and not law!) Good decision making = counseling. And all this comes so easily to me because of my training, education and experiences.

My "challenging diversity experience" in Multicultural Counseling (fall 2003) was going to church and to a MercyMe concert. It's been an amazing journey in a short time. And it feels so peaceful and comforting to know we are following God's will and not our own. As far as babies ... I just keep telling people "there's work to be done." These college students are so important to us right now, and it is so apparent how and where we're needed. And for some reason, God has kept us very relevant - even past my 20s :) That won't last forever, so we're taking advantage of this stage of our life. And the baby stage will be here soon enough.

Harrisburg, NC 28075

We bought a house! Lots of details yet to complete, so stay tuned for more information. We're so excited to move to this community. Now ... packing :/

Kari turns the BIG 3-0!

Wow. I did it! June 7 has come and gone, and I am officially 30 - not in my 30s, just plain 30. I have so much to reflect on from the last year, the last year of my 20s. One of my friends told me that the year 29 is the first time the planets have been in the same alignment as the year of your conception and forming in the womb, so it's supposedly a really good year. (Please let me know if you can cite this!) When I heard that, I thought she was just trying to make me feel better about turning 30, but as I look back ... what a year!

• June 08: I moved off campus for the first time (after 11 years!)
• July-Oct: unemployed. interesting feeling.
• Aug-Oct: prayerfully considering if I was crazy or really hearing God correctly ... Yes, I was making a career switch from working in Housing & Residence Life to College Ministry!
• Oct: I became an aunt ... and again 11 days later!
• Nov: voted in a very exciting and historic election!
• Nov: met with our realtor about buying a house (*and this still continues!)
• Nov: participated in Grace's baptism as her Godparents
• Dec: spent my first Christmas away from Indiana ... but still with my family, and the newest edition - Emily :)
• April: went on my first mission trip (see post below)
• May: got baptized (see post below)

Now, onto my 30s ... and owning a home, pets and kids :D

Erik and I went to Indiana the last week in May to see my parents and grandparents, and Daniel, Kristen and Emily drove in from Texas, too! At 7 months, Emily is up on her hands and knees, but is not quite crawling yet. She is also teething, and everything is in her mouth! Here are some of my favorites from the week. You can view them all here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ksb.anderson/EmilyMay09

Kari's Baptism!

I got baptized on May 17 by our pastor, David Henderson, and Erik! I started my walk with Christ in summer 2004, and wanted to get baptized around fall 2005/spring 2006, but the timing was never right. When we decided to call UCF home, and I came on staff, I knew this was the right place, the right people and the right timing. I don't feel any different, since I made the decision a few years ago, but I knew this was the missing piece for where God has called us when we have changed our hearts and lives (Matthew 3, Acts 2:38-41).

I learn new things many times a week about how to better live my life according to God's desires, so this was just one of the many, many cool life changes that have happened over the past few years. Thanks to my sister Kristen, some of my Clemson RAs, and Erik for acting on the right encouragement from God on my behalf!

Click here for the pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/ksb.anderson/Baptism

Our First Mission Trip

Vidor, TX
April 11-17, 2009

WOW. God is amazing! Erik and I went on our first mission trip, with 16 others from our church. We drove in two vans from Charlotte to Vidor, TX, in the southeast corner by Beaumont. For four days, we worked about 20 minutes away in Bridge City on a church and a house doing Hurricane Ike relief work. Nehemiah's Vision provides workers for their area, and in return the workers stay at the First Baptist Church of Vidor, using their gym and kitchen for recreation and food. There were also five bunk houses (housing eight people each) and a hot shower trailer.

Ike hit the region in September, and many people were still living in FEMA trailers as their houses were put back together. And yet even more people have had no help for fixing their houses to date. While we expected to see fallen trees and roofless houses, Ike brought the floods instead, leaving most houses with 4-8 feet of water damage. The tiny town of Vidor didn't receive the news coverage like New Orleans and Houston, so we were humbled to see the damaged houses contrasted by the welcoming people. Everyone was so thankful for our work, and so willing to sit and talk with us about the stories of their house, their friends, and their community. Erik and I especially enjoyed talking with George and Martha, a older couple who have lived in Vidor almost their whole lives. Since Ike, they have been living in a RV in the church parking lot, running the lodging for groups like us. George and Martha even took us to their house to show us the damage, and gave us plants right out of their yard! (They are growing beautifully here in NC.)

We weren't just working for UCF, or North Carolina, but we were representing Jesus Christ - his hope and his love. We really concentrated on this as we realized that all kinds of groups had been in and out of those bunk houses - nonbelievers, buddhists, other Christians. What makes us different?

We all learned how to drywall. But we had middle school boys who learned the value of hard work and teamwork, high school girls who learned that power tools can also empower your soul. Task oriented vs. time oriented. The youngest celebrated his 13th birthday with us, and the oldest brought his 13-year-old with us. God uses everyone, if you're willing to be used.


How good we felt to leave our work, the comforts of home, our cell phones and laptops, to go serve our God where he called us to go.

Check out our pictures! http://picasaweb.google.com/ksb.anderson/TexasMissionTrip

UCF Staff Retreat

In March, the 8 of us (plus Gray, the toddler) took a 3-day staff retreat to Young Life's Windy Gap retreat center near Asheville, NC. We had a great time relaxing, enjoying nature, praying, playing games, learning our Strengths ... and playing one of the longest and funniest games of sardines ever! We even recycled and composted, and I really appreciated everyone asking "can this be recycled?" and "can I put this in the compost?" :)

God has really blessed me with an amazing job - again! - with a very loving and family-oriented staff. (Can't you tell?!)

University City Fellowship staff: high school pastor, arts & admin pastor, lead pastor, children's pastor, activities coordinator, middle school pastor, bookkeeper, and college pastor. Learn more about us here: http://www.ucfellowship.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=13097

I just learned about Earth Hour this afternoon, by seeing it on the Yahoo! homepage. I'm intrigued ... how have we not heard of this? I get to make a statement by turning off my power and blogging about it?! Yes, please. We're all about a global sustainability movement!

Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. The WWF is hoping to reach 1 billion votes!

Erik is sitting on the floor, leaning against the chair. I'm on the couch, laptop on my lap, as the name suggests. We've got candles burning all around us ... eight that I can see. Erik is strumming away on the guitar. "Ain't that America." Is the Cougar participating in Earth Hour, too?

Make sure you're educated! The before and after pictures of monuments and buildings are really neat! http://www.earthhour.org/

These are the kind of conversations we have while brushing our teeth before bed. We had just finished watching TV, and found the 1993 classic So I Married an Axe Murderer. (Harriet, sweet Harriet.)

Kari: So ... do you think you married an axe murderer?
Erik: Ya, 'cuz you've got killer looks!
Kari: Pfft! Where did you hear that?!
Erik: I made it up ...
Kari: On the spot?
Erik: Yes. Pretty good, huh?

I can't wait to be 80 together!

I forgot to tell you ... I went to Texas for the Creative Church Conference (Feb 18-20), and got to see Kristen, Daniel and Emily. While I babysat Emily on Wednesday morning, I convinced her that we needed to do her four-month-old photo shoot. Since she was just learning to smile, I couldn't resist "cooing" at her to get a reaction!