Appetizer:

How fast can you type? Not sure how fast in words per minute. I type faster when nobody is watching.

Soup:

What is your favorite online game? Luxor - Amun Rising. Liked it so much I purchased it.

Salad:

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are? Hmm. . . maybe a 6.

Main Course:

Name three of your best teachers from your school years. Don't know if I can remember that far back. . . the ones that stand out are my 9th grade English teacher, my home economics teacher, and my 7th grade math teacher.

Dessert:

What are your plans for this upcoming weekend? Cleaning the house tonight or tomorrow morning, going to the 21st Annual Sugar Festival on Saturday afternoon and church on Sunday

Studying Romans

At church on Wednesday nights we have an inductive Bible study. We just completed 1 Peter. Jonathan Brooks started the inductive Bible study on 1 Peter and after he left, Pastor Brian continued the study. Both men did an excellent job teaching us God's Word.

Pastor Brian announced last night that our next study will be the book of Romans! Can I just tell you I am extremely excited to be able to have the opportunity to do an inductive Bible study on the book of Romans. Yes! One of my favorite things about an inductive Bible study is that we take the scripture verse by verse. It may take a while to get through a book of the Bible, but by the time you are done. . . you know the scripture in an intimate way.

Pastor Brian whetted my appetite last night for this Bible study. Here are a few things he gave us last night:

1. A simple outline of Romans:
   Chapters 1 - 8: How the Gospel Saves the Sinner
   Chapters 9 - 11: How the Gospel Relates to Israel
   Chapters 12 - 16: How We live in light of the Gospel.


2. A Key to Understanding Romans is knowing what imputed righteousness is. Imputed righteousness is a righteousness given without having to earn it.


3. The main message in Romans is the Gospel.


4. And finally this quote from John Calvin:
   “If a man understands Romans he has a sure road open to help him understand the entire Bible.”
   

Thought Provoking

We are the body of Christ, not in some figurative sense, but we are the flesh and blood of Jesus alive in the world through the Holy Spirit--God's hands, feet, ears.~Shane Claiborne The Irresistible Revolution

Adventure Golf

Our church youth group went mini-golfing at Adventure Golf yesterday in Lake Worth. It was perfect weather for it. We had 11 kids and 6 adults for the fun. The management asked us to group up in groups of 3 - 5. The girls had 2 groups and the boys ended up being a group of 5. The adults spilt into groups of 3. It has been years since I played mini-golf and it showed. I putted 67 on eighteen holes. However, I surprised myself and my group by making a hole in one near the end of the course. I jumped up and down and yelled while they laughed. After mini golf we ate at Pizza Hut before heading for home. The kids suggested we plan an afternoon soon to go bowling. To which we agreed as long as some of us can have the bumpers up!

Friday Feast

Our former youth pastor's sister-in-law began posting the Friday Feast on her blog several weeks ago. It's a website, Friday's Feast, that asks five random questions every Friday. I've enjoyed her posts and have decided I'll give it a try. Although most people that visit my blog already know me, maybe they will learn something new about me through these posts. So here is the Feast for this week:

Appetizer: What is your favorite kind of bread? Garlic bread.

Soup: When was the last time you bought a new pillow? A year ago maybe. . . except I didn't replace my favorite one that I sleep with.

Salad:Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net? Do e-mail hours count? What about instant messaging? Alright I admit it, I'm addicted. Somewhere around 40 hours.

Main Course: What’s the highest you remember your temperature being? I don't recall having a fever. I'm pretty healthy, but I'm sure I have not been fever free all my life.

Dessert: Fill in the blanks: When I go to the beach, I have fond memories and am so relaxed.

No Ice Cream Wednesday

For the past two weeks we have attempted to purchase a McFlurry from McDonalds here in town after church on Wednesday night. No such luck. We have been told that they have no ice cream. Last week we took our youth group to McDonalds with the intention of having McFlurrys and Sundaes with a short devotional time. Then tonight after church I went through the drive through at McDonalds to purchase a McFlurry for Angela as a treat for doing some chores around the house this week without being asked to do them. And I got the same response. . . NO ICE CREAM.

Has McDonalds quit serving ice cream or is it they just don't serve ice cream on Wednesday night?

Happy Birthday Diana!

Today is one of my co-worker/friend's birthday. It has been a pleasure working with Diana for the past 2 years. During this time we have become great friends. Since knowing Diana I have never seen her without a smile on her face and an encouraging word on her lips. I pray that today will be filled with joy and sweet memories and that our friendship will continue to grow. I'm am blessed to have you in my life. Love Ya Girlfriend!

A Movie, Dinner and Good Company

Saturday morning I woke up early and headed to Miami for the weekend. A very good friend of mine, Tom, had invited me down for the weekend. David and Angela had made plans with friends so I went alone. After arriving at Tom's he cooked lunch before we went to the movies. He treated me to a "chick flick", "The Namesake"at the Aventura Mall. Following the movie we went back to his house and relaxed before going to dinner. Tom knows that my favorite restaurant is Olive Garden and he treated me to a very relaxing and delicious dinner there. Unlike dining with the kids we took our time eating and enjoying each other's conversation. Afterwards we enjoyed time talking and laughing.

Tom knows how to spoil me and make me feel special whether it's taking me out or just spending time with me. I throughly enjoyed my weekend with him. He is one of the few friends that I can go months (years at times) not seeing but the moment we see each other again we pick right back up and it never feels like we've been apart.

Thanks for a wonderful weekend!

Just this week I realized that my 10 year anniversary was this past Saturday. Yes I have been the secretary at First Baptist Church of Clewiston for 10 years now. I have thought alot this week about the past ten years here. I remember when I first started how unsure i was about being able to do the job. Either I have done the job or they can't find anyone else to take the job. Seriously I was so nervous when I first came on staff but that nervousness is now gone. The pastor that hired me was hesitate to hire me since I had no secretarial experience to speak of. However, two of the deacons that knew me recommended that he give me a chance and so I was hired. I will be forever grateful to those two men.

Over the years I have worked for 3 different pastors and one interim pastor. Each one has been different, but I have enjoyed working for all of them. Along with the pastors I have worked with a 4 other ministers, two secretarys, 2 pre-school directors, 2 pre-school teachers and numerous custodians. All of these people have been a joy to work with and I treasure each of their friendships.

Over the years I have seen God at work; sometimes in small ways and sometimes in big ways. There have been times of joy, sorrow, frustration, and anticipation throughout the 10 years. I love my job and can think of no other place I would have rather spent the last 10 years working. I look forward to what God has in store for future.

Photo Shoot

After the engagement party Angela and Cheyenne asked if I would take them around Clewiston to take some pictures of them. I could have spent that time doing laundry or something more productive, but instead I decided it would be fun to take photos of them around town. We had a great time and they even talked me into letting them take some of me.

Before leaving the engagement party

By the pool at Okeechobbee Landings

Angela & I

The City Park Easter Bunny gets a hug

Mom and the Easter Bunny

At the Levee on Lake Okeechobbee

City Park

My two tree huggers

Thanks Mom, that was fun

Engagement Party

Jim & Phyllis Wilkinson offically announced their daughters, Jessica, engagement to family and friends today at Okeechobbee Landings Club house. Angela, Cheyenne and I went to the party this afternoon from 2 - 4 p.m. We enjoyed the company of several church members and family of the bride-to-be. After everyone ate, Phyllis let the children hunt easter eggs before going home. We wish Jessica & Jason the best as they plan their upcoming wedding in December.

Jason & Jessica

Cheyenne, Angela & Sally

Nathan ready to hunt Easter Eggs

Our table full of Baptists

Adeline and Angela

Greatness of My God

(9) Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not;say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" (10) Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him;behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. (11)He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms;he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

(12)Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span,enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed
the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? (13)Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? (14) Whom did he consult, and who made him understand?Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? (15)Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. (16) Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. (17)All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

(18)To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? (19)An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. (20)He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot;he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move.

(21)Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? (22)It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; (23)who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

(24)Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

(25)To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy
One. (26)Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these?He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name,by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

(27)Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,"My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? (28)Have you not known? Have you not heard?The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. (29) He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. (30)Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; (31) but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. ~ Isaiah 40:9-31

Book Review: Relationships: A Mess Worth Making

Relationships intrigue me for many different reasons. I can recall a time when I was younger that I wanted to be a counselor and over the years the interest in people and their relationships with others still interest me. I guess that is why I am forever reading books about relationships. I have just finished reading Relationships: A Mess Worth Making by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane. This book is definetly a keeper!

Think about the title. . . what comes to mind when you think of relationships? Romance, friendship, family. This book addresses many of these realtionships from a biblical standpoint. Now look at the the rest of the title, A Mess Worth Making. What is the "mess?" Tripp and Lane expalin the mess is the sin in our lives. The "worth" is God at work in our relationships.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is about how sin in our lives effects our relationships.

The problem with relationships is that they all take place right smack dab in the middle of something, and that something is the story of redemption, God's plan to turn everything in our lives into instruments of Christlike change and growth. You and I never get to be married to a fully sanctified spouse. We will never be in a relationship with a completely mature friend. We will never live next to a neighbor utterly free of the need to grow and change. We will never have self-parenting children. We will never be near people who always think, desire, say, or do the right things. And the reason for all of this is that our relationships are lived between the already and the not yet. (pg.2)

One of my favorite chapters in the book was the chapter on mercy. Tripp and Lane explain that a relationship without mercy is a relationship lived outside biblical borders. A quote from the chapter tells us God's point of view on mercy.

From God's point of view, one of the most beneficial aspects of mercy is that it levels the playing field. Mercy forces us all to face the fact that we need it. None of us has the spiritual upper hand. In our struggle with sin, we all need compassion, sympathy, forgiveness, and rescue. All of us are poor in some way, lacking things we desperately need. Each of us lives with weakness and the results of our own poor choices. But even when we seem to have it right, even when we are committed to live in mercy, we struggle to love the very people we have looked on with sympathy. And even while we are basking in God's forgivenss, we find it incredibily difficult to bear with the sin and weakness of others. That's why, in the mirror of mercy, all us look the same. (pg.134-135)

In that same chapter they state that giving mercy always demands mercy.

When you extend mercy, you will begin to see how selfish, impatient, unforgiving, and inconsistent you can be. Mercy will show you how much your own heart still needs the continuing work of the Redeemer. It will drive you to the end of yourself and to the grace of your merciful Savior. And that is a very good thing. (pg 140)

Now you will have to read the rest of the book to see how God can make messy relationships what he designed them to be.