A Little Weekend Humor for Talking off Those Pounds!

There seems to be several of us trying to take off some of those unwanted pounds. It can be very hard to do and very hard to stay focused on your goal. Obviously keeping God at the center is the first step. But for those days when you feel like screaming, click here for a little something to make you smile!

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Enjoy and have a great weekend!!

Looking to Ourselves for Change

As I was driving down the road the other day, I passed a church that had an interesting statement on their marquee. I can't remember what it said exactly, or even the name of the church in which I saw it. But the implication of the comment has stuck with me and caused me to think.

It said something like... Change in me what I see in others that I think needs to be changed.
It's one of those statements you have to read over and over a few times to really let it sink in. I started thinking about the times I see someone doing something and think they shouldn't be doing it, or they shouldn't be acting that way, or why on earth would you do something like that.

How many times do we say things like that. It's so easy to see in others the changes we think they need to make in themselves. Maybe it's so easy to see those things, because God is trying to show us those are things we need to change about ourselves. We are so blind or maybe so arrogant that we don't seem to be able to see as easily the things we need to change in our own lives or with the way we act in certain situations. I bet if we really stepped back and looked at ourselves, we would see lots of things we need to change.

What if, every time we wanted to make a comment about something in someone else we thought they needed to change, we just didn't. And we took that thought and applied it to ourselves and our own lives. Do you think we would begin to see that there are lots of things in our own lives we need to be working on? That there really isn't time for us to worry about the things everyone else needs to change if we focus those thoughts inwardly and apply them to ourselves? My grandmother had a saying, "You need to clean out from under your own doorstep before you start worrying about someone else's." And I imagine that if we started looking inwardly first, and things started to change in us, we would see far less wrong with those around us.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,
if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with
the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy
complete by being like-minded, having the same love,
being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better
than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your
own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:1-4

Blessings! And have a great week!!

The Medina Children's Home and Avery Johnson

On Saturday, June 30th, Chris and I were privileged to be a part of the annual benefit dinner benefiting the children of the Medina Children's Home. Avery Johnson was this year's guest speaker. He was awesome! But more on that later.

We were a part of the auction committee so we were there beginning at 9:30 at a.m. that day. It was a long day, but when you hear the stories of those children, it's all worth it! It is so cool to be a part of something that does so much for the kids at Medina. Between the silent auction and the live auction alone, $36,000 was raised for the children. (At the silent auction there was a really cool Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Poster with an inset autographed picture of Johnny Depp!! It went for way out of my price range...But Johnny Depp is another story!!:) That doesn't even include donations made that night, corporate donations and the 1300 seats that were sold!! It is truly amazing to see all of that go to these kids.

We have been privileged to help and attend for several years and it's always amazing to hear the stories of some of these kids and the struggles they have overcome. I cannot even imagine telling a child, "even God doesn't love you" as one girl who is now graduating from A&M was told by her mother before she arrived at Medina. It literally breaks your heart. And to see how far these kids have come because of a place like the Medina Children's Home is just amazing. Only a God who truly does love them very much could get them to where they are now. Praise God and praise God for the Medina Children's Home.

It was also a great privilege to hear Avery Johnson speak. Somehow, God graciously allowed us to sit at the 2nd table from the front! I don't know how that happened, but we are so grateful! What an incredible, Godly man Avery is. His story was amazing. He has overcome so many things to get to where he is and said that he realized, "If things don't change, things don't change". He gives God the credit and the praise for where he is in his life. I only wish he had more time to speak. Not only is his story very inspiring, he has such a gentle voice. He is known as "The Little General". But there is nothing little about him. He has a big heart, a big love for God and a big smile that can't help but make you smile also. A big thanks to Avery for giving his time to such a worthy cause.

May God continue to bless the Medina Children's Home and all the good work going on there.

Jesus said, "Let the little chidren come to me,
and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.
Matthew 19:14

The Rain Continues...

The rain continues here in this part of Texas, as I'm sure it does in most of your areas as well. I have never seen so much rain in my life. It is raining here pretty much every day and has been for about a month. There are sporadic times of sun, but mostly rain.

I was driving home the other day and the sun was shining. All of sudden as I got closer to home everything turned dark and down came another torrential downpour. It lasted about 5 minutes and then stopped, but then more rain came later that day. The 4th here was great though. A few showers in the morning and then what turned out to be a gorgeous day outside with a great breeze. Probably one of the coolest 4th of July's I've ever experienced. It was spent with dear friends which just made it that much better!

As we are in mid summer, I find myself so busy. I usually think summer is when things slow down. But this summer has been busier than most. The other hard thing about summer is we are out of our usual routines. For me, that makes it harder to keep my focus, stay up with my studying, etc. I find myself falling into old patterns that I'm trying to correct.

As I was getting out of my car the other day in yet another rainstorm, I began thinking about how much rain we've had. It is so unusual. And then I started thinking about how I've been getting out of good habits and thinking of the world and all the worldly things that go on. As I watched and thought about the rain, a thought struck me. It's almost like God is trying to clean up the world some with all of the rain. I know that's not really why the rain is here, but it did start me to thinking.

It rains and rains and just when you think it's not going to rain anymore, then it starts again. Almost like God saying, ok... things are looking better now, wait... no, there they go again. We need more washing out of the old habits.

It really made me think about my life and making sure my good habits stay good and don't get lost in my busyness. It was like God was telling me, I've gotten her cleaned up to start fresh, again, oh... maybe not... there she goes again.

Although I know that Jesus' blood continually cleanses us, I don't want to feel like I'm in a state of needing to be washed continually because my focus doesn't stay where it needs to be. And I'm not talking about huge things... I'm talking about just letting every day life get in the way and letting myself resort to old habits of putting reading the word at the end of the day if I'm not too tired, rather than starting the day with it; being grouchy at someone who cuts me off in traffic rather than thinking, wow... they could really be having a bad day today; etc.

I love the fact that God's grace and Jesus' blood continually wash over me and keep pure in His eyes. But I don't want to make him feel like, Ok... start the showers, here she goes again. I thank God for the rain this Earth so desperately needed, but I'm praying for spiritual blue skies for the rest of the summer!

(On a side note, Jeremy left this morning for a mission trip to Honduras with the Highland Oaks youth. Please keep him and his group in your prayers.)

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-22

Weekend Randomness... Evolution of Dance

This is a great way to start off the weekend. The music alone brings back lots of memories. Enjoy and have a great weekend!!

And thanks for all the birthday wishes for Ashley! They were very sweet of you!

Twenty One years ago...

Twenty-one years ago today, at 9:41 p.m., after 18 and a half long hours of labor, Ashley Elizabeth Moore came into this world. It seems like yesterday. I can still remember every detail of the morning, day and night in which it all began. That's right, she is now 21 years old! I cannot believe it!

She has been a great blessing in my life over the last 21 years. Of course there have been times I wanted to strangle her, but those times are so easily forgotten when you look back over cherished memories. We have so loved watching her grow over the years. From a tiny baby (7 lbs. 4 oz) to a precious little girl who loved choc milk, to a wonderful big sister, to a beautiful Godly, Christian woman. She has the most beautiful smile. Her smile can change your mood instantly. It can also melt your heart. It has been so amazing to watch God developer her into the woman she has become. And sometimes when I get a little cynical about things, she's always there to set me straight. It's amazing when you start learning from your children.

We had so much fun over the years watching her play soccer, then softball and basketball and finally volleyball. Which is still her favorite sport. I couldn't believe it when she graduated high school and now she is about to begin her senior year at ACU. Where does the time go? Cherish every moment you have with your children. Even when the days are sometimes not so good. Because one day you blink, and they are grown women, about to take on the world.

My life would not be the same without her in it. She is not only my daughter; she has become my best friend. I feel like I can tell her anything and she never judges me. I have made so many mistakes throughout her 21 years, but thank goodness for God's grace and mercy who has covered over a multitude of mistakes. I give God glory for everything she is and for everything she will become. She is truly His child. I am just so fortunate and so thankful that He allowed me to be her mom. I love you Ashley! May God continue to bless your life and continue to mold you into the woman He wants you to be and to become. Happy 21st Birthday!!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from over her 21 years... Enjoy!

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you. Colossians 3:8,9



Her 1st ball game...with many more to come!



The morning Jeremy was born. This was around 3:00 a.m.



The night before middle school volleyball tryouts!



High School volleyball game. They went to the playoffs for the
1st time in 17 years! They ended up Area Champs and
Regional Quarterfinalist.


Senior Volleyball Picture



Senior Picture

Some things never change!!!!




Officially Twenty-One!!



Ashley & Jeremy



Ashley & Warren
We found fireworks on her 21st birthday
and celebrated with some really good friends!!
How cool is that!!


Blessings Everyone... Have a great week!!

Ok God...I'm Listening...

I spent this past week in Abilene with Ashley. She was moving from an apartment to a house with 2 other girls for her senior year at ACU. I can't believe she's a senior! We had a great time together. In fact, I think it was our first actual "grown up" time together if that makes sense. I think we have crossed over to that adult relationship between mother and daughter. We didn't argue once and just had a really great time hanging out. And have I said before I miss having her home this summer?? :)

During the moving process, I think everything that could go wrong went wrong as far as utilities go. The electricity was suppose to be activated in their name on Monday last week. While Ashley and I were in the house on Monday, the electricity all of sudden went off. I saw someone walking around outside so I went out to talk to him. He was very reluctant to talk to me, but said he did not have an order for electricity to be turned on at that address. And of course he was there turning it off because the previous tenants had not paid the bill. (Normally, at least around here, they don't actually turn it off when someone moves. They just read the meter and change the name on the account.) We called the electric company and of course they had no record of anyone calling to have it turned on even though they had been called the previous Monday, a whole 7 days earlier. So, no electricity until Wednesday afternoon. We moved for 3 days in 95 degree weather with no air. What did we ever do without air conditioning! Fortunately, we had her apartment until Tuesday night so we slept there. And Tuesday night some dear friends who live in Abilene let us crash on their couch.

On Tuesday, the cable and internet was suppose to be hooked up. I called them on Monday evening to warn them we had no electricity and the person said, "Oh it's ok, they can still hook it up and that way it will be on when your electricity comes on". So they came out Tuesday and lo and behold, they are not allowed to leave equipment there with no electricity. Big Surprise! I told them about my call the previous day and he called his supervisor. They gave us the direct phone # to the supervisor and told us as soon as it gets turned on, to call him and they would try to send someone out. When the electricity finally came on Wednesday, I called and they had someone out within an hour an a half. So that was great! After he hooked everything up, he was explaining all the equipment and I asked him a question about the DVR (tivo) they were suppose to have..."Oh, you ordered a DVR? They didn't tell me that. This is just a regular cable box." Fortunately he was able to locate one quickly and came back out later that afternoon and switched the boxes out. Our best experience of the week with utilities!

Now with electricity on we began to wash clothes. I noticed after about 3 loads there didn't seem to be any hot water. I thought it going to be hard for 3 girls to shower every day if the hot water doesn't last any longer than that. We left a little while later and went to eat. Ashley had to work that night so I ran some errands. It had been about 4 hours since I had washed clothes when I finally got back. There was still no hot water. I told Ashley to call the landlord because the pilot light must out. They sent out a plumber the next day and guess what... you guessed it, the gas had been cut off because the previous tenant had not paid the gas bill either. After I headed home on Friday the gas company came out and turned on the gas but couldn't find the hot water heater to light the pilot light. And of course they didn't show up until around 8:00 p.m. so it was to late to get a plumber over there. So hopefully tomorrow they will finally have gas...and hot water!

Needless to say it was an interesting week where the utilities were concerned. As many of you know who have read previous posts, I tend to like to be in control. (no duhs here please :) I try really hard to let it go, but lately I have noticed myself having more trouble in that area. This week, it was like God was slapping me up beside my head, saying back off, you CAN'T be in control. I think I finally realized that on my drive home. I started replaying things from the week over in my head and it was like, Ok God, I'm Listening... finally. And as if to reiterate it, all the way home, things kept happening or I kept noticing things that were just one more subtle hint after another. I was flipping radio stations on the way home trying to stay awake. I don't usually listen to country but happened to stop for a few seconds on a country station. The song had just gotten to the chorus which said, "I'm living life in fast forward, I need to rewind real slow". I thought, how many times am I just rushing from one thing to the next and not enjoying things along the way?

Then, when I was about 30 minutes from home, the traffic suddenly came to a stop do to an accident. It was like God was saying, "I'm really not kidding, you aren't in charge". Don't you just love that God has a sense of humor! Fortunately it broke up in about 10 minutes and I continued on. Then I saw a billboard that had paper dolls cut out on it. I don't even know what it was advertising. I noticed that at the front there was one cut off from the rest of the group standing by itself. My thought was, I am cutting myself off from what God wants me connected to by continuing to take control of things I really can't control.

It's really kind of scary. It's obvious that I haven't given up control as much as I thought I had and that God is trying to get my attention. That's always a scary thing, because I know God is leading me somewhere and He wants me to just let Him lead. So once again I'm trying to turn that over to Him.

All in all, it was a great week! I got to spend the entire week with my daughter and that is always one of the great blessings in my life. She will be home on Thursday for a little over a week. I can't wait!

On a side note, Tim Spivey, our minister, is taking a few weeks off and we had the privilege of having Wade Hodges from the Garnett Church in Tulsa, OK speak today. It was great to get to hear him again. He had a great message on "Moving Up From the Back Row" taken from the passage about the Ethiopian Eunuch.

I hope everyone has a blessed week!

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. John 10:26-28

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:19-20

Weekend Randomness

Here's a little humor to start off the weekend! Go ahead... ask your husband for anything!! :)

Keeping Your Focus

The weather lately (in between the rain :) , has been great for motorcycle riding. Lots of sun and just great to be outdoors and feel the wind in your face. While I was riding the other day, I realized something that is very different from when I am driving in the truck (or the cage as another motorcycle friend likes to put it! :) It's my focus. It's almost completely different.

When I am driving in the truck, if I'm going to be gone for a while, I don't like to listen to the radio much. I love listening to music, but I have grown to love those times as quiet times. I like to reflect on things going on in our life. I sometimes use that time to pray specific prayers or just talk to God about everything going on. It is a quiet time and a restful time. I sometimes get so caught up in just thinking or contemplating that I sort of go on autopilot and sometimes either forget where I'm going or just end up some place different as I'm sure my family would love to attest to. :)

When I was on the motorcycle the other day, I realized that I don't do that on the motorcycle. When I'm on the motorcycle I am completely and totally focused on what's going on all around me. (Which is a very good thing if you have read the previous post about me being an idiot driver magnet!) Anticipating the moves of others and keeping my focus completely and totally on the bike and being safe. You sometimes get lost in the ride, but you never lose your focus.

It made me realize, if I can be that focused while riding, why is it so hard to stay focused on other things in my life? How is it that I can get so distracted while studying my bible, while praying, while doing any number of other things spiritual or otherwise? What if I was able to channel that type of focus into every aspect of my spiritual life?

If I were to focus my spiritual life in the same way that I focus while riding on the bike, wow, how much better life would be. Not that I necessarily feel like my spiritual life is in a bad place, but I know that I am way too easily distracted. What things do we all focus on? I'm sure it may be different for everyone. I'm going to try and be more intentional about making sure my spiritual life, is just as focused as my motorcycle riding. I can't wait for the ride God is ready is take me on!

But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge - do not give me over to death. Psalm 141:8

Noticing Nature

We went to Abilene this past weekend to spend some time with Ashley. She is taking a Maymester and has decided to stay in Abilene for the summer. I miss her not being home this summer so it was great to get to spend some time with her. While we were there, Ashley got to meet Jeremy's newest pet, Zeus. He has wanted one forever and now that he is older, I finally gave in. Ashley was not to happy to see him though! Especially since Jeremy was chasing her around to me him!

Ashley & Jeremy at Prairie Dog Town in Abilene.

Jeremy and his new pet, Zeus!
(And no, I have not held it! I've touched it, but not held it :)

While we were in Abilene we ate at a place called "Brick Oven Pizza". It's over by Hobby Lobby. Even though Ashley has been there for 3 years, it was the 1st time we had ever eaten there. It may be fairly new, I'm not sure. Anyway, the pizza was probably some of the best pizza I have ever eaten. If you're in Abilene, you should definitely check it out.

The weekend was great and the weather was beautiful in Abilene. Blue skies and sunshine the whole weekend. Completely opposite from what we heard the Dallas area had been over the weekend.

As much as I hate the 3 hours it takes to get to Abilene, I love the view during the drive. Most people think it's a really boring drive. And it probably is, there really isn't much to see on the way. But the closer you get to Abilene the more of God's country you get to see. Lot's of trees, less buildings and during the spring the wonderful beauty of the Texas Wildflowers lining the highway. I enjoy the scenery of the drive.

As we made our way back to Mesquite on Sunday afternoon it was getting dark and we were headed into rain. We hit some pretty heavy rain, but also some times of sun. What I noticed coming back were the clouds. They were really amazing. I have always been fascinated by clouds and their ability to do what they do. Some of the clouds were flat, some were huge with dark bottoms and you knew the rain could just drop at any minute and some were just huge, puffy, beautiful clouds. I've often wondered if those huge puffy clouds could hold us up. If we could just jump and bounce on them or lay down and get lost in the cushyness of them.

I remember as a child driving and looking at clouds or just laying in the yard looking at the clouds and discovering what images they looked like. Sometimes they looked like animals or dragons, sometimes like angels. I still enjoy looking for "things" in the clouds. How can anyone look at clouds and then believe there is no God? That's what I love about clouds and nature in general. God is everywhere! No one but God could make clouds just float around in the sky. Especially the ones with rain in the them, you know they must weigh an enormous amount.

The most beautiful thing was the sky underneath the clouds. It was so many different shades of bright blues it was just amazing! Like I said, God is everywhere in nature. The sad thing was, the closer we got to home and the closer we got to the city, those blues began to fade and were not as bright. Our cities have covered up some of the most beautiful things that God created. I think it's like that for us sometimes. It's really easy to be all caught up in God when we are surrounded by His beauty. But when we get "closer to the city" does our love for God fade as we get busy with all the "things" around us?

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. Philippians 2:14-16

May we all shine like the stars in the heavens.

Catching Up...

It's been a while since I've blogged. The past 4 weeks have been extremely busy. I haven't had time to even read blogs, much less write one of my own. It has been really hard not having time to especially read blogs. I enjoy doing that so much. School is out now though and I hope to catch up on my reading and hopefully post a little more often.

Well, I'll catch you up on what we've been up to lately. It started about the 2nd week of April with Jeremy's prom. Yes, Jeremy is old enough to be going to prom. Soooo hard to believe! In fact, he is now officially a senior in high school! Ashley is now officially a senior at ACU! Where does the time go. Here are a couple of pictures from prom that night.


Ashley & Jeremy


Jeremy & Warren (Warren was standing on the down slope of a hill. He's not "that" much shorter than Jeremy :) Actually, he might be :)


Warren & Ashley

A couple of weeks after prom, Chris and I went with Jeremy's choir from high school (70 kids!!) on their choir trip for 5 days. We went to Branson and St. Louis. The trip was a lot of fun, the bus driver was a psycho (a story in and of itself :), but all in all a fun trip. Of course by the time we got back we were exhausted. We went non stop for 5 days from 7:30 in the morning until 11:00 at night. On the way back, a nine hour drive, we had 3 freshman girls sitting behind us, who did nothing but shriek and carry on for 9 solid hours! No joke, they NEVER slept for even 1 minute the entire 9 hours back. Believe me, I was so ready to get off of that bus :)

Then we had the opening of the new Highland Oaks auditorium which is just amazing! Jeremy's choir banquet was the next week (he was elected the new choir president for next year by the students and was also named a senior leader for next year by the faculty). The same week he also had 2 choir performances. In one of the performances he sang a solo of "Casting Crowns" Lifesong. He put together clips from the "Passion of the Christ" to be playing while he was singing. He did an amazing job! The next week was my 4 year old class's preschool graduation. Obviously, it's been a busy several weeks. It's been a good busy, but I'm sure glad it's summer!

Ashley is staying in Abilene this summer and working :( It's the first summer she hasn't been home for the whole summer so that is sad for me. That's always our time to hang out together. Although someone else is taking up a lot of her time now a days. You might have noticed the guy in the pictures from Jeremy's prom with him and Ashley. That is Ashley's boyfriend (yes I said it, boyfriend) Warren. He is a really sweet guy and we really like him a lot. He is the youth minister in Clifton, TX. He graduated last year from ACU and he and Ashley met working together at the Abilene newspaper. They started dating this past February. He spends a lot of time driving back and forth from Clifton to Abilene.

Summer is almost here and it promises to be busy as well, but with no school it will be a lot more manageable. Jeremy is going to Encounter at LCU the 1st of June, to Honduras the 1st of July, then to choir camp the very next week, the week after that will be Summer Bible Quest (VBS) at Highland Oaks, then at the end of July Chris and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary and in August Ashley and I are going to see Celine Dion in Las Vegas!

Well, I guess that's about it. I had told several people after Jeremy's performance in Beauty and the Beast back in January I was going to try and post a video. I think we've finally figured it out. So I will close with a couple of videos from Beauty and the Beast and also his solo of "Lifesong". Have a great week!

P.S. Even though there is sometimes no picture on the YouTube screen, it still works. Just click on the YouTube image.

Observing Rudeness

I remember when I was a child and even into early marriage, people in general seemed to be more friendly than they are now. When I was growing up, Everyone always waved and smiled when you passed them. It didn't matter if they knew you personally or not. If a car let you pass you waved. If someone was walking near you as you were going in or coming out of a door you held the door for them. You smiled at people as you made eye contact with them.

I learned that from my parents and we have hopefully passed that on to our own children. But I have noticed more and more in the last few years that you just don't see that kind of courteousness any more like we should. I first started noticing it in youth age children. The attitude seemed to be; you owe ME, so why would I do something nice for you. They would even just walk right off the curb and out in front of your car without even so much as a glance to acknowledge you are there. Then it got to where I noticed it just as much in people who were around my grandparent's age. Not the, you owe me attitude, but just the attitude of rudeness and not being friendly. I have had just as many older people walk right passed me when I have an armful trying to get out of the door as I have had younger people. When my children were young, people would walk right passed me while I was trying to hold open a door while getting two kids and a stroller through the door.

While I was out the other day I decided to make a mental note of the people around me and their reactions and responses. As I walked around through 3 or 4 different stores, I would try and make eye contact with people and smile at them. I always smile at people as I pass them, but I was more aware of it on this day. What I found out on that particular day was, only 3 or 4 people smiled back. And everyone one of those was a person who worked for the store in which I was in. Not one other person returned the smile.

It just amazes me that we seem to be, I guess so busy with ourselves, that we can't even offer common courtesies anymore. We can't offer or even return a smile. I'm sure some of it is because our world has changed. You could be a psycho for all they know these days. What's even more amazing to me, really the word is sad (even heartbreaking), is that I'm finding out that more and more of these rude people are probably Christians.

I have heard several people comment lately how Christians on a Sunday morning are the rudest customers, how Christians at a Sunday lunch are the worst tippers (or no tippers!), etc. I have personally been in some situations with Christians who I didn't know very well, but knew they were Christians, in which they were extremely rude to people around them. It's embarrassing.

So does this mean that there are probably more Christians in the world and we just don't realize it because they are being so rude to people? I pray that's not the case. Jesus was full of love and compassion for everyone! He touched those that no one else would touch. He smiled at people and made them feel loved. As His children, that's the type of Christian those around us should see. There's an old song that says, "They will know we are Christians by our love". Do people really know that we are Christians by our love? By the love and concern we show for others? By the smile we give strangers who pass by? By the simple courteousness of opening doors to help someone out?

I pray that we have not become so busy and so calloused that we forget WHOSE we are. And as HIS, we should always act more like Him. Especially when those around us are not. Because as His, we should be sanctified, set apart from the world. Blessings!

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:14-15

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know god, because God is Love. 1 John 4:7-8

Commercials Catching My Attention...

There are two Dr. Pepper commercials that have caught my attention lately. One of them is the 23 flavor commercial of regular Dr. Pepper. The "I want it all and I want it now" slogan. I have seen that one a million times. But the other day I started thinking, what if we "wanted it all and wanted it now" when it came to Jesus?

I was watching that commercial thinking there is so much more to life than Dr. Pepper. But do I have that passion about the things that are important in my life, especially my spiritual life. While I do have that passion for my family and God, it really made me think. Does my walk with God really reflect that "I want it all and I want it now" mentality? Because in God I do have it all, and I have it now!

We have been talking in class on Wednesday nights about the spiritual wheel in our lives and the things that we need to work on. For a lot of us we are good with the prayer, bible time, compassion for others, etc. But we are lacking in the "telling the world" part of our wheel. If we were living the "I have it all and I have it now" slogan, maybe that part of our wheel wouldn't be so lopsided.

The other night I noticed the Diet Dr. Pepper commercial. I have just recently started seeing it more and though I have seen it several times, I noticed something for the first time... the reflection of the can in different scenes. They are shown enjoying a "diet" drink, but in the reflection it shows an ice cream cone, or a sundae, or something else yummy! I had never noticed that part before.

It made me wonder, what is our reflection as Christians like? I know a lot of people have only had minimal experience with church and Christians. And for some, minimal is all they want because of the rigidity, the lack of compassion and sometimes downright meanness they have experienced. The reflection they've seen coming from church and Christians is more of a dragon or something with horns. What if the reflection they always saw from us was one that made them feel like they were having that ice cream cone or that sundae? One that made them feel loved and accepted, like they were always getting the dessert in life rather than the brussel sprouts. What if the reflection they always saw in us was the reflection of Christ, full of mercy and compassion and never ending love?

Satan doesn't want that reflection showing and if we aren't careful he will turn our reflection into something we don't even recognize. I pray that in my life I will always show the reflection of Christ.

Blessings! Have a great weekend!

A Blessed Easter

I love Easter and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. He is indeed Risen! What a wonderful Easter this has been.

We started our Easter this year with something we have never done before. This past Thursday, our small group participated in a Passover Celebration Meal together. It was an incredible experience. While we of course believe that Jesus has already risen, we shared a meal reflecting on the first passover... on the sanctification, the deliverance, redemption and the praise that Jesus has already come and how we look to every moment for the Messiah to return again and take us home.

Our meal consisted of Matzah (unleavened bread), Parsley (bitter herbs), Horseradish, Hard Boiled Egg, Cheroset (apple mixture) and Salt Water (representing tears). It was a very moving experience reflecting on that first passover night and their deliverance. We are planning to have a Passover Celebration Meal as an entire church next year once we are back the auditorium and out of the fellowship room. That should also be a wonderful experience.

Sunday morning at Highland Oaks we had 4 services beginning at 7:00 a.m. and the last one beginning at 11:30 a.m. Normally we have 2 services on Easter but to the remodeling and having services in the Fellowship Room, we had to expand it to 4 this year. We invited the community and also had brunch going on from 7:00 a.m. to 11:30. We had 2 Easter Hunts, one at 10:00 and one at 11:30 that the community was also invited to. As a congregation we brought 8,000 plastic Easter eggs filled with candy! There were children everywhere with Easter baskets full of eggs!

We ended the day with lunch with my family. Here is a picture of Ashley and Jeremy. I can't believe how mature they are looking. I'm not old enough to have kids that look that old! :)

Well, it was indeed a blessed day. May we continue to remember each day the power of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! He IS Risen... Lord Come Quickly!!

Sanjaya Anthem

Ok, I'm ready to stop watching American Idol! But I won't...I'm too hooked! I was so disappointed to see Gina voted off last night. She wasn't the "best" of all the singers and wouldn't have won, but she was one of my favorites. I am soooo tired of Sanjaya coming back every week after the worst performance and some weeks not even being in the bottom three. I also heard yesterday that Howard Stern is asking his listeners to vote for Sanjaya just to screw up American Idol. It's ridiculous... and it's working!

Well, for those of you who are just as ready to see Sanjaya go as I am, here is a little Sanjaya humor for your weekend!

Blessings! And Happy Easter! Jesus is Risen!!

Preparing in Layers

The weather the last few days has been great for motorcycle riding! But being prepared for the weather on a motorcycle is tricky. If the weather forecast is calling for great impending rain, I don't ride. I don't want to get caught out in the rain. But riding in the 70ish degree weather is awesome. The only thing is, it's very different than just being outside in the 70ish degree weather.

While the weather appears very warm while standing outside, riding on a motorcycle the air can become very cool when it's in the 70's. So when riding a motorcycle, you have to dress in layers to be prepared for the cool and able to peel off layers as the air warms up.

Walking out for the day in our Christian walk is much the same way when you think about it. If you aren't prepared, you can be in for some nasty "weather" even in your spiritual walk. Dressing in layers spiritually could mean a variety of things. Beginning your day with prayer, staying in the word, being ready to greet others with a smile, the list goes on and on.

In Ephesians 6, scripture tells us, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Are we going out prepared and dressed in layers? Are we ready so that when Satan sends his arrows we have enough layers to keep him at bay? When someone needs our help and it's not the most convenient time for us, when someone cuts us off in traffic, when someone says something extremely hurtful to us, when we are just simply not having the best of days. Are we layered and prepared enough so that as Satan sends his arrows and peels us back, layer by layer, that we are still layered and prepared enough to stand?

We have the full armor of God for our layers of protection. But they only benefit us if we are intentional about making sure we are putting them on.

Have a great week! I'll be praying for you!

Experiencing Jesus

We got back from the Tulsa Workshop on Sunday. We were there 4 days and it is both exciting and exhausting at the same time. But in a good way! :)

The singing was great! It was great to catch up with friends we haven't seen in a while! And it was great to hear some of the different speakers.

One of my favorite speakers this year was Bruce Marchiano. He played the role of Jesus in the movie Matthew. The movie was taken straight from the book of Matthew and the only words spoken were those that were actually spoken in the bible. We haven't seen the movie yet, but we bought the dvd. I'm excited to have the time to sit down and watch it. Bruce's story is one of the most amazing stories I have ever heard. The movie literally changed his life. Please forgive me as I tell some of it to you. I know I won't have all the details 100 % correct. It's so hard to remember everything exactly when you've been filled with so much. But I will try and do my best.

He talked about some of the specific things that happened while filming the movie. He said he wanted to be as accurate as possible in his portrayal of Jesus and he literally spent every day in constant prayer. He talked about how in one scene, he wanted to get a glimpse of what Jesus must have felt as he was about to speak to the crowd. He prayed and asked God to just give him a small glimpse of what he felt in those moments, what those people needed. He said for a fraction of a second, so much of a fraction that it wasn't even a second, he felt the most overwhelming sense of pain and sorrow. He was flooded with such deep and overwhelming emotion he literally collapsed on the ground and began weeping uncontrollably. The director thought he was literally going to have a breakdown. He said that he knew he only felt one billionth, billionth of what Jesus must have felt. And he said the sorrow was completely unbearable.

He talked about how they would film the scenes leading up to and of the cross. He had them literally beat him after instructing them to be sure and miss his vital organs, because he wanted it to look real. How he had to be strapped to the cross for about 8 to 10 hours a day while filming those scenes. He had a platform under his feet that would be moved out of the way while they filmed scenes and he would literally being hanging with his arms and feet strapped to the cross. How after hanging for so long, when they came to the scene where the nails were going to be nailed into his hands, how even though he knew it wasn't going to actually hit him, the wrenching pain and emotion that overcame him at the sound of the nail being hit was overwhelming. His story is something I will never forget.

Even though I know this was done for a movie and that it was only a minuscule glimpse of what Jesus must of went through. It will forever change me. Bruce says, he knows he only felt one billionth, billionth, of what Jesus must have felt. But his life is changed forever. I hope I'm there when Bruce gets to meet Jesus face to face one day. What a meeting that will be!

He is currently working on a movie about the book of John. I can't wait for that one also. Recordings of the workshop speakers are suppose to be available on podcast (mp3's) within the next couple of months on the workshop website. I encourage you to listen to his story. You will be blessed.

Please be in prayer for Rick Atchley. He was not able to speak at the workshop because his mother past away last Saturday.

I'll leave you with a quote I heard from Don McLaughlin... "Live in such a way that people want to join you on the way to God".

Blessings, Have a great week!

P.S. Next year's workshop is March 27-29, 2008. The theme is "Prayer ~ Our Declaration of Dependence". Mark you calendars now! :)

Idols

This weekend I was watching an Elvis special (yes, I still love Elvis!) that I had recorded earlier in the week. He was such a great entertainer. I often wonder what he would look like today and would he still have all of those moves :) As I was thinking about that, I thought about how destroyed I was at the time over the cause of his death. Elvis using drugs, no way... it just didn't seem possible. Yet it was. And at that moment, although I still "loved" Elvis, my perfect image of him was shattered.

Watching that show made me think about all the people and things we basically set up as idols today. People we expect to have perfect images, when we know there is only ONE who can fit that bill. There are so many movie stars we "love", shows we "love", things we "love". While those things aren't necessarily bad in and of themselves, how often are we really placing those people, shows or things above everything else in our lives? Are we setting them up as earthly idols all around us?

I have to admit I am sometimes guilty of placing those things to high up on my list of priorities. It makes we wonder, where am I putting God on my list of priorities when other things get placed too close to the top of the list. Do I "love" those people or things more than I LOVE God? Anything we place before God can become an idol. And in this day and age, I think we (myself included) have to be extremely careful about how we prioritize our daily lives. There are so many things clamoring for our attention every day. If we aren't careful, God can get pushed to the bottom very quickly. He wants to be at the top of our to do list, not at the bottom. And he wants our spending time with Him to be something we want to do, not just something to check off the list.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
1 Chronicles 16:25

Well, this Thursday begins the Tulsa Workshop. I am so excited to get there. This will be our 11th year to attend and it just gets better every year. I still love going to the workshop. I love getting to hear all the great speakers, enjoying the wonderful worship, finding new music and catching up with dear friends who have moved away. We will miss some of them this year who aren't able to go, but it's going to be a great weekend!

Facing Choices

Every day we face choices of one sort or another. It's what we do with those choices that determine who we are, our character, who or what we serve, etc. I have been reminded about choices lately with the emails that shows up in my spam folder. Our email system automatically puts most things that have all of those weird topics in a spam folder. So all you have to do is click into the spam box and then select all and delete without ever seeing the emails. I love it.

Here lately even the subject matter or the sender information has just about blinded me with it's content. It's really disturbing. These are not things I have solicited, they just show up. Even though I choose not to speak the things I see, my eyes still have to see it to delete it. It has really gotten me to thinking about easily Satan can penetrate our lives and thoughts, even when we don't solicit it.

For me, those types of emails are no temptation whatsoever. But for others, I know they are. And you have to make a choice in that one split second when you see it to either click delete or open. How many other areas of our lives is Satan throwing things in our path. Maybe the shows we watch, the books we read, the movies we see, etc. Satan can throw little things in that you never see coming. Even things like knowing you are getting back to much change, but not giving it back. Someone treats us badly and how do we respond? Do we respond back badly or do we show them Jesus. Everything Satan throws at us is not going to always be obvious. Some of it is little things we don't really thing about, but suddenly we are make a choice.

We make choices every day in our lives. The big choices we usually think and pray more about. You feel like you have time to contemplate those choices. But what about the choices we have to make in a split second? Are we living our lives in such a way that those choices will be easy to make? I'm not saying that every choice will be easy or even that we will always make the right choice, but I believe that how we make the little choices says a lot more about who we are and who or what we serve than the big choices do. We have time to think about and pray about the big ones, but the little ones tell us where are heart really is.

The choices we make when no one is looking are the most important choices we make. Because those are the choices that say who we really are and who or what we really serve. It's all about making choices. What kind of choices are we making?

"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15

Blessings.

Pruning Reveals New Life

I began a "little" spring yard work this past Saturday. I say little because there is still a long way to go. It turned out to be a little too cool to be in the yard all day even though the sun was shining bright. However, I did get the ferns and different greenery cut back and shaped. As I began cutting them back, I noticed that underneath some of them, they already had new leaves and branches beginning to grow up towards the top. I had to be careful not to cut away the new growth as well.

I started thinking about all the new growth that was waiting patiently to be exposed so that it could begin to really blossom and grow strong. It made me wonder... what do I have hidden under all of the old dead leaves and branches in myself. Do I already have new growth just sitting there, waiting patiently to be exposed so it can begin to flourish? It really makes me kind of sad to think that there are things waiting just under the surface. Waiting there for me to start cutting back and pruning myself and getting rid of the junk that has piled up over the last year.

So with the pruning of the greenery in my flowerbed, I'm going to begin a little personal pruning. Who knows what exciting things God has waiting for me just under the surface eager to be exposed and ready to grow into something wonderful. I hope to have new blooms showing up soon! Blessings!

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:1,2