Finally a chance to stop. A chance to read(on-line) and hear (Grant and Rachel so far) about Tuesdays on Quaker Street. This allows me a different perspective and a different opportunity than I had planned for. God gets the best of me when He gets me out of my plan and living HIS. He tricks me sometimes and I get the experience of having faith….I love God’s way with me! Usefulness comments were great….I think this whole GPS-thing might just be leading somewhere!!!! Can’t wait to see how you all give it “JUSTICE” over the course of the next month!!!????

I met Paula when I sent out my crazy idea about GPS Tulsa to local school counselors.  Beth Alaback, and old friend from NLR days, was very excited about it, and sent this info on to Paula Barton, who was the senior school counselor at Edison High School.  Paula was way enthused, and when we met she said things like “I believe this program will save lives.”  Wow.  I guess she believed in what we were doing.  She then enlisted her own time and recruited and talked to potential students and offered herself to our work. She is one of our team, and I am still waiting on her bio (hint hint, Paula…) so she can give a better introduction of herself.  Suffice to say, she is one of our three counselors who have a total heart for our recent high school grads, and they want to talk to her (which I love.)  Her enthusiasm for life, and for getting into the lives of people and lending a hand, is infectious.  You will hear from her occasionally on the blog.  I wouldn’t doubt it if you become her friend in the near future.  - ck

one of today’s questions was: do you think that these kids individual existence matters?…DUH! yes i think that each one of these kids has an existence that will play a vital role in the community around them. each personality that is portrayed in these kids is an important instrument that God has placed there for a reason. yes all of them, including the one kid that gets all his enjoyment out of making his piers (and the occasional teacher with a sense of humor) laugh and gets distracted when you give him instructions.

one kid that jumps out at me in particular is a young guy named Alex. he has such a high amount of energy and is just looking for a way to use it! unfortunately he has a tendency to choose the wrong times.

We’ve talked a lot the past few weeks about our service time at the elementary school. And some weeks it seems to have gone well. Other weeks not so much.

But as I sat & listened to everyone share about their experience there each afternoon, I was struck by something. Something I knew GPS would provide from early on, but I guess it was just fun to see it playing out in reality. (Not just “here’s what we HOPE will happen with GPS”-but “here’s what DID happen b/c of GPS.”)

For most of us, when we are serving somewhere & things aren’t going just as we’d like-we don’t feel very useful…we seem to just be spinning our wheels…it probably wouldn’t matter if we stopped showing up… We’ve all felt those things I think.

But with GPS we’re getting to remind ourselves that the service experience being awesome is not what we’re after. We’re after service that teaches us something…about ourselves…about others…about life. And so, even though we maybe had a not-so-great experience, we are less likely to just check out, or stop going & find a different place. Because the emphasis is not on the experience making us feel good, but about the experience shedding some light on our own actions/behaviors/thoughts.

That is one of the things I think is so great about GPS & why I want to be involved in what’s happening here.

Last week I was supposed to sit and write about (with pencil), then blog about usefulness. Many of us felt non useful during our tasks. I, like my co-volunteer Rachel did little more than sit and watch the children work at cooking, only helping with something occasionaly. I did however get to spend some time talking to the children before and after.
There was a time in my life when I was intent on starting a band (a jazz like combo). The rules for the band were that everyone was about focusing on composition, we were going to play all original material, and we wanted to create a style of our own (on a personal and a group level) that would set ourselves apart from any other band, and give a certain type of person a reason to choose us. It turns out it was difficult to even establish a once a week meeting for everyone, and get consistant practice happening. One of the hardest things to do is be self motivated.
What does this have to do with usefulness? None of the GPSers had tasks to do last week, and it seems none of us were very SELF motivated. Chris asked us whether we thought the after care staff at Kendall-Whittier would miss us. I honestly could not answer that question.

After returning from a particularly un energized service session at some level, the discussion afterwards  was centered on usefulness.  Our students at the site were helpers to teachers who did most of the work.  Not enough action really for any of us.  Good intentions, though.  And, as always, a good opportunity to learn.   Conner brought the big question home after this experience last week.  More on his statement in just a bit.

When asked if they felt useful, Grant replied- “No.”  When pressed about when do you feel useful- he responded “When I’m given something specific to do, especially if I can work with my hands.”  We all agreed with varying comments.  I then asked him if he felt useful when he helped me build the deck in the front of my house last spring.  He said yes.  I then asked everyone, “What if I wanted you to come help me with “home improvement” today?  And, since you have all the potential in the world, you decide what it will be.  I know its my house, and you’re not very familiar with it or with what I as the owner want to see, but just have at it.  You decide, you do it…. make it happen.  I’m sure its going to be great.”

I asked, “What would you say to me?”  Most replied, “Well thats all good, but just tell us what to do, and we’d love to help!”  I then asked what this has to do with where each of our students are in life right now.  Most structure is gone, most of their community they had leaned on is gone.  Their relationship with their parents is different now- most living at home, but not exactly where their place is.  Then Conner:

“It just seems that starting something on your own is the hardest thing.  I guess thats true for all of us in this room.  Being useful with something someone else gives you is good.  When you have to create it- its really hard.”

Everyone nods.  It is one thing that brings us together at GPS:  We’re not sure where to start.

OK.  I believe we can help with that, but it will take a little time….  Thanks for sharing your thoughts Conner.

ck

Today going to KW (Kendall-Whittier school) there was a lot of talk on whether or not we felt useful… for the most part all i did in my group was sit there and watch the kids cook and occasionally help with something… or make myself look useful. when i was asked this question… the majority of our time wasn’t the thing that popped into my head, it was the beginning of our time that hit me. when the children arrived one of the little girls that is in my group ran up to me and told me that she made me something. as she reaches into her backpack and pulls out a picture she tells me that she drew it and her little brother colored it. This picture that i will soon be putting on my refrigerator is one of the most meaningful things that i have received in a long time. so for me, even tho i may not currently feel useful in the way of physically handing something to someone. i am still useful in the way that, if i weren’t here today i would be missed greatly! And that alone, i think is useful!

We are learning to be aware of little gifts in this project.  Sometimes the gift just comes right up to you and hands you a picture they drew.- ck

After getting to know some of the kids we are serving i came to the realization that in reality there are not very different from me.  both of us love having fun and getting the approval of our actions from others. but there are also times where we make mistakes. but the thing about making mistakes is that sometimes they have to be made so that you can learn from them.

Justin just moved from Colcord OK to live with his Grandparents and go to TCC.  Everything in Tulsa is new to him and he is connecting with our GPS crew, taking classes, and adjusting to a new life.- ck

I think the thing that made the biggest impression on me last week was when we shared are life stories. I feel like I really got to know everyone in the group better through that activity.

comment from ck:  Sharing our life stories is foundational for our group to establish trust.  When we move into helping people with that trust, great things start to happen for each of us on an individual level.  I see this in Conner.

Here’s an observation from today by Grant Schellhorn, a GPS student.

Today after everything was done at the school and all the kids were headed home Lindsey bumped me on the shoulder and pointed so i looked up and Julio, one of the kids wouldn’t leave without waving goodbye. That was awesome and really made me see that we are making a difference.

note from ck: Julio told Grant and I about 15 seconds into meeting him that he and “my dad got a divorce, and things are better now.”   He was really into knowing us and being known.

We had a new student sign up for GPS after our bios were put up last week. Here she is!

This is Rachel:

Rachel has been in both public school and homeschool environments. She has also spent several weeks and summers at Camp Barnabas, a camp for people with special needs. She is outgoing & loves to be challenged. “Rarely do I EVER back down to something that would challenge me severely.” She’s also learned that “no matter how hard or how easy serving/helping is you will in turn be helping yourself.”

We’re excited to introduce you to our first GPS Tulsa group. You can read a little about them below right now. And in the future you’ll be able to join in the conversation with them as they share some of what they’re learning here on the website. Stay tuned!

This is Justin:

Justin is in his first year at TCC. He grew up in Colcord, OK & was very involved in the community mentoring program at New Life Ranch. Justin’s favorite movie is The Blind Side because, “it shows that no matter how hopeless you think a situation is, there is still hope to be found.” If Jesus was here, in the flesh, for 24 hours Justin says He would, “…go into some of the churches & turn over some tables…It’s about helping people become Christians and to improve relationships with God & one another. It’s not about condemning people for everything they have ever done wrong.”

This is Grant:

Grant grew up in Tulsa & his favorite movie is Tommy Boy, because, “it can always cheer me up, no matter what mood I’m in.” One of his role models had a big impact on him because, “he showed me that you didn’t have to be a dork to be a Christian, & she showed me how to be comfortable with myself & talking to others.” He’s enjoyed mission trips he took with his youth group because they helped him, “see what God has given me & other people to help share His word.”

This is Conner:

Conner is in his second year at TCC. He is an Eagle Scout & has been involved at Garnett Church of Christ. He wants to be part of GPS Tulsa because he is “genuinely interested in hlping the homeless, poor, and disadvantaged population of Tulsa.”  He’s been involved in serving others, but not on a weekly basis. “I want to make a bigger impact on the needy in the city of Tulsa.” Two things he says he brings are “hard work & a sense of humor.”

This is Imran:

Imran is in his first year at TCC. He’s also taking classes at Tulsa Tech.  He is a Harry Potter fan & he wants to be in GPS Tulsa because, “I want to help people out while earning college community service hours.”

This is Lindsay:

Lindsay is from Tulsa & is in her Senior year of homeschool. “I feel like God has made me the way I am on purpose so I shouldn’t be afraid to live the way God made me.” Her favorite book is Praise Habit by David Crowder because, “…it explained the importance of praise, and what it truly means to praise God.”