Fountain Family

Mother's

2011-05-07T21:39:00.001-04:00

Thank God for mothers. I want to recognize three things that can happen when a mother places her faith in the promises of God.

Number one, a mother’s faith can bring heaven to earth.

Luke chapter 1 tells the story of Mary’s faith bringing to pass God’s promise of a Messiah. I think one reason Mary was chosen was because she would believe what God told her. Notice her response to the angel when she was told she would conceive a child by the Holy Ghost who would be the Savior of the world. She said, “May it be to me as you have said” (v. 38).

Mary’s faith literally brought heaven to earth, but when any mother lives by faith in God, there will be “heaven on earth.” Children may be surrounded by humanist ideas, hatred, or even violence throughout their day, but when they come home to a godly mother, they can experience a little heaven on earth. Dad may be at work all day, striving to succeed in our competitive society, but when he comes home to a godly wife, he can experience a little heaven on earth.

Number two, a mother’s faith can produce a godly legacy that affects generations to come.

There are two aspects to a mother’s faith. First, she believes what God said in His Word. And, second, she believes in her children. Our mothers believe in us even when we don’t believe in ourselves.

Mothers have the privilege of bringing new life into the world, but they are also uniquely equipped to nurture and help a child grow. A mother’s influence on her children is far greater than even she may realize.

If you are a mother and you are wondering if your good example has taught your children anything, I want to assure you that it has. I want to encourage you to keep up the good work. Your faith is more powerful than you think!

Number three, a mother’s faith can change circumstances in life.

A mother’s faith can propel children to do things they never thought possible. A mother’s faith in her child can cause him to succeed where he would otherwise fail. That is why it is so important for moms to believe in their children and speak positive, faith-filled words over them.

Did you know that if it had not been for a mother, we may not have electric lights today! When Thomas Edison was a young boy, his teacher sent him home with a note that said, “Your child is dumb; we can’t do anything for him.”

Mrs. Edison wrote back, “You do not understand my boy. I will teach him myself.”

She did—and the results were world-changing!

Where would we be without the love, prayers, and support of our mothers? I encourage you to take time to thank your mother for her faith—the faith that brings heaven to earth, gives you a godly legacy, and changes your circumstances for the better.

Are We Ready for The Royal Wedding?

2011-04-29T10:37:00.004-04:00

"For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." Revelation 19:7

Girls dream for years about their wedding day. Somewhere stashed in the single gal’s closet is some sort of wedding magazine. Guys, a word of advice right now: DON’T have an opinion about what you want for your wedding. Your woman’s got your whole wedding planned – and it was already done 10 years ago. But that’s the thing; guys don’t sit around chatting to each other about their future weddings over tea. They don’t have secret stashes of wedding magazines under their bed (or maybe they do?) They don’t think about the wedding DAY…. enough said.

But imagine the bride wasn’t ready…. Imagine a bride frantically trying to find a wedding dress store open the eve of her wedding? Imagine trying to find a venue for the wedding the day before? And what about food?! It wouldn’t happen. The wedding day would come and there would be no wedding, only a very disappointed couple.

It seems crazy to not be prepared for a wedding, yet we have no problem not being ready for the ultimate wedding day: when Christ comes to meet His Bride, the church.

God has been dreaming about His “Bride” from the beginning of time. I got some of you confused. Yes, God has a “Bride”. Now before we get all sorts of wacky thoughts about that, let me explain.

God calls His church His “Bride”. That means each person who follows after Christ is His “Bride”. I don’t find that so strange, but I really don’t know how men process that…

This “Bride” doesn’t imply anything sexual, but it speaks of intimacy, friendship, close relationship. God dreams of the day when we, who walked with Him daily, will be with Him forever. Just like any man here on earth, He waits for a Bride that will love Him. He longs for the Bride who will be faithful to Him till “death do us part”. He envisions a Bride adorned in purity and innocence, not tainted by cruelty and selfishness. And just like a man wants a life-mate who shares common interests, God is no different.

My greatest advice to single girls waiting to meet the man of her dreams is this; “BE the kind of person you want to attract”. In other words, if you’re promiscuous, greedy, selfish, or materialistic…. expect something of the same sort in those attracted to you. This same applies to God. He is looking for a people who are pure in heart, loving, full of humility and those who care about the things He cares about.

One day, Christ is coming back for His Bride. We don’t know what day. We don’t know what time. But when He comes, some will be ready, some won’t.

Most Outstanding Student

2011-04-25T15:45:00.003-04:00

I am so proud of David's academic achievements. He was presented with an award for Most Outstanding Microeconomics Student today. Highest average campus wide!!! Go David!!!

Thoughts on 2 Timothy 1:7

2011-04-25T15:42:00.002-04:00

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline.”2 Timothy 1:7

God never meant for us to be in control, strong in and of ourselves. We were meant to show His strength in our weakness as He provides for our needs. We were created to live like little children, dependent on the care of our heavenly Father. When we insist on living life our way, in our own strength, we experience the same result as Adam and Eve. We will live in fear. This is right where Satan wants us. If the enemy can keep us contained by fear, we won’t be able to fulfill our potential or make a difference in the lives of others. Satan knows what we are capable of with Christ. To prevent us from that realization, he poisons us with fear — fear of trusting God, fear of surrendering ourselves completely to His plans.

Fear that is fueled by Satan’s lies can be described by this acrostic:
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

It’s not that we shouldn’t be concerned about certain issues of life such as safety and health. But when worrying takes over by keeping us up at night and shutting us down during the day, we move into a place we were never meant to live.

We need to live in God’s presence and rely on His promises and provision. Only then will we be able to distinguish between truth and lies. Only then will our lives be marked by faith, not fear.
My prayer for each of you this week is that Christ will help you to discern between false fears and real concerns.

As I commit God’s Word to memory, I pray He will make His truth alive in my heart so that I can battle fear and live by faith.

Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup

2011-03-28T18:34:00.003-04:00

On Mondays Angela and I enjoy meals that David is not willing to try or just doesn't care for. Last night we were trying to come up with something different and Angela suggested trying to find the recipe for Panera's Potato Soup. After searching the internet for less than 5 minutes, I found a super easy and super yummy recipe! I added some crescent rolls and crisp, crumbled bacon bits and God added a rainy evening!

Ingredients:
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
* 1/4 cup minced onion
* 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into chunks

Directions:
Combine broth, potatoes, onion, and spices.
Boil on medium heat until potatoes are tender.
Smash a few of the potatoes to release their starch for thickening.
Reduce to low heat.
Add cream cheese.
Heat, stirring frequently, until cheese melts.

2011-03-20T17:26:00.004-04:00

On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty rose in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years. The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993! Loved capturing it on camera as it rose over Lake Okeechobee.

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

2010-12-14T10:52:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time there was a blog that was updated daily or at the very least weekly. That was before the administrator of said blog discovered Facebook and began to neglect her blog. Someone call and report Blog Abuse! For fear of being reported here's a quick update of our lives. . .

We have visited family over the past two months making trips to North Florida and South Georgia. Our time with them was sweet and as always never long enough. In October we celebrated my dad's birthday with family and returned in November for Thanksgiving. During our visit in November we traveled 4 hours north to watch my Alma Mater play in their State Playoffs (sadly they were defeated) with my baby brother and his wife. The kids experienced their first Florida State/University of Florida game (FSU won!).

Over the past month we have experienced the death of two dear friends and mourned the loss yet rejoiced in knowing they have seen the face of their Savior.

David is now registered for 3 pre requiste classes at Palm Beach State and once he completes them will once again apply to Florida State University where he plans on majoring in Business with a minor in Marketing.

Angela is half way through her junior year and is looking forward to Christmas break. She is doing Stats for the High School Soccer team and dating a very sweet young man.

Christmas is only a week away and we just put the tree up Sunday evening and I have not bought the first gift. We are all anticipating what the New Year will bring and look forward to see what God has in store for us.

Deacon Ordination and Pastor Appreciation

2010-10-24T21:48:00.004-04:00

Tonight the family of First Baptist Church of Clewiston gathered together to ordain Josh Sherrell as a Deacon and show our appreciation to our Pastor, Todd Buck.

Homecoming 2010

2010-10-23T22:28:00.003-04:00

Coaching Soccer

2010-09-14T17:54:00.005-04:00

After coaching Weeball in the spring and enjoying that experience so much I volunteered to coach Soccer. I've served on the board as Treasurer for the past 5 years and only this year even considered coaching. I'm coaching the under 5 kids and loving it as much I loved coaching Weeball. The only difference is I know more about baseball than I do soccer, but I have a great 12 year old assistant coach!

Dear Angela,

2010-09-13T21:49:00.004-04:00

Seventeen years ago you came into my life and changed it so totally that I cannot image it without you. You fill my days with every emotion from pleasure and pride to anger and impatience. But most of all you fill each day with your presence, and even when you are away you are in my brain and heart.

It is so hard to watch you grow up, but I feel you are doing a very good job of it. Each year I have seen you change and you are showing all the characteristics and character of a fine young woman. People always tell me how charming and funny you are, how wonderful you look and how interesting you are to talk to -- I am glad to hear these compliments -- but I can see them for myself. There are many minutes, hours, days, when you are a very difficult teenager to live with -- but that is to be expected. Your emotions are always "up front", both the good and the bad. They always will be. That is who you are.

You have a wonderful quality of independence that I value and respect. You are an astounding and confusing mix of willingness to try new things and fear of failing at the every day parts of life. That will change with maturity as you see yourself succeeding and learn to trust yourself. You will make mistakes, fail at things, hurt yourself in a multitude of ways, everyone does, but the power to achieve is in every fiber of you and the will to get what you want will push you past the fear of rejection and failure. I have never been a risk taker and it has limited me in ways you probably cannot see. You must be willing to take risks - the pain of failing passes quicker then the regret of not trying.

Every year you get stronger emotionally as well as physically and I hope you see a little bit more of the wonderful qualities that those of us who love you have seen since you were a baby. You have such a heart for others. I think back to our time in Nicaragua and how you wanted to bring one little boy home with you because you thought he would have more opportunity in the States. You were his friend while we were there; you stopped to play with him every day and always had a smile for him. I also think back to the time when we held a special prayer meeting for our dear friend David Bond and how you prayed straight from you heart without fear and with tears streaming down your face. Everyone was amazed that a child your age could pray the way you did that day. have always been a person with a good heart, and that is a qualityyou have that I value above all. Eventually we all learn to read and write and drive and cook and hold a job, but we cannot "learn" a good heart.

Perhaps now a good time to stop and assess -- look back to where you have come from, to see who you were and who you are -- before plunging forward into adulthood, with all of its challenges and responsibilities. It is a time when parents can still try to protect the child in you since you are still permitted to act like a child, but you can safely assert your independence - parents still love their most obnoxious teenagers.

So today is special, and you are special. Not just because you are my daughter, but because you are a unique individual and one that I respect and enjoy being with. It gives me great pleasure to know that God chose me to be your mother. You have many talents and gifts (sports, drawing, writing, etc.) I love seeing you use those talents. And you have taste, lots of it. And you are tenacious when you want something and you use words so well. As a young person you have figured out how to talk to people -- almost instinctive in your "people skills". All these qualities are sometimes covered over by anger and shouting and frustration and impulse, but as you mature you will get more control and channel those intense emotions more productively. This is a natural process too, just like thinking your parents are godlike, then morons, then boring, then wise.

So take this day and reflect and then go forward. Make this a better place for yourself and those who love you. Happy Birthday!

First Day as a Junior

2010-08-23T10:58:00.004-04:00

I'm slightly prejudice, however, I think my daughter looked absolutely stunning this morning as she walked out the day for her first day as a Junior in high school!

2010-07-08T22:51:00.002-04:00

Insecurities, I so hate you! Spent two months going through a book that was about overcoming our insecurities and still I am clinging to them. You'd think I could just get over it already. Just when I think I'm doing good - bam you raise your ugly head and take control again.

Relationships are the biggest arena for my insecurities to show up. I'll be going along just fine and dandy - bam the voices begin to whisper "you aren't good enough, you've got to be kidding yourself." And they get louder and louder. Until it's the only voice I hear.

I have a tendency to push for more than the one I'm in a relationship with is willing or ready to give. It's always been a downfall in my relationships thus far. I recognize when I'm doing it, but it's like I can't control it no matter how hard I try. A lot of that is insecurity and I realize that.

I also realize that I am free in expressing my feelings and expect others to be the same way. It's annoying, I'm sure, and can feel smothering to the one on the other side of the relationship. When I fall, I fall hard and want that from the one I am with.

So what's wrong with me? Why can't I just be satisfied with where things are and take it one day at a time? Why do I constantly expect more?

Oh to just be able to figure it out and defeat the insecurities before they raise the voices start.

Apopka Weekend by the numbers

2010-06-28T17:30:00.006-04:00

11 - number of boys on the team
3 - number of awesome coaches
6 - hours spent driving round trip
6 - people sleeping in our hotel room
2 - hours spent in the pool and hot tub combined
10 - bags packed into the van
8 - hot and sticky hours spent at the baseball field
2 - delicious classic margarita's at dinner on Saturday night
1 - awesome man that I had the privilege of spending the weekend with
15 minutes spent laughing after the kids gave their dad a wedgie and put him in the "babysitter".
6 - people in the hot tub
500+ pictures taken at the baseball fields
zero number of pictures taken of me and my awesome man.
Immeasurable number of hours fun had by all.
Zero number of games won.

Catching Up

2010-06-25T10:18:00.004-04:00

Wow! Hard to believe that it's been so long since I posted on the blog. Guess that is what happens we you become addicted to Facebook. So what has happened in the life of the Fountain's since the last post. . .

David took a much needed vacation to Atlanta. He has always wanted to go to Turner Field and watch the Braves play on their home field. He had a great week watching baseball games, touring Turner Field, visiting the Aquarium and getting sick from tasting all the different flavors of Coke at the World of Coke.

Angela is out of school for the summer and is content sitting at home chilling. She wants a summer job and has applied at various places in town, but with the economy as it is she hasn't had any luck. But at least the house stays clean and the laundry isn't piled up on the weekends for me to do. She's been a champ doing chores for me!

I've finished my first season of coaching Wee-Ball and already am looking forward to coaching the little ones again next year. I'm having a party for the team on Thursday to give them their trophies and get one last hug. I didn't think I would miss them as much as I do. We finished a week of VBS at church last night. I leave this afternoon for weekend of baseball in Apopka, Florida. The Clewiston Recreation's 14 year old boys will be competing in the Triple Crown High Heat Allstar tournament on Saturday and Sunday (pictures to follow). Most weekends of late I can be found at a baseball field cheering for my significant other's son.

Photo Shoot # 2

2010-05-17T07:33:00.004-04:00

I had the privilege on Sunday afternoon of taking pictures for my good friend Liz's daughter, Tanya and her boyfriend, Trevor. They are expecting a baby boy on May 25. These are a few of my favorites.

Mother's Day & Graduation

2010-05-11T10:06:00.006-04:00

My sister and dad came down on Thursday to visit. It was such a wonderful treat to have them here for Mother's Day and for David's graduation from Palm Beach State College. It was a pretty laid back weekend.

On Sunday evening the five of us drove to Lightys in Lake Port for a delicious seafood dinner and to celebrate Mother's Day.

(The kids & I on Mother's Day)

(My dad and his favorite daughter)

(My kids with their Aunt Fredia)

(My dad with his two girls)

(My dad and my sister)

(My dad and kids)

We are all so proud of David's accomplishments! He graduated with a 3.75 GPA and got his Associates of Arts Degree in Business. His plans right now are to work full time( provided he can find a full time position), figure out where he wants to continue his education and save some more money to help finance his education. He is the first "Fountain" to graduate from college.

2010-05-02T14:38:00.004-04:00

First Family Photo Shoot Part II

2010-04-29T10:04:00.003-04:00

My first family photo shoot went exceptionally well (all things considered). This family was just so precious and so patient with me. I meet with Brandi today to show her the pictures and am praying that she will be pleased with the results.

First Family Photo Shoot

2010-04-23T14:15:00.004-04:00

I'm so excited to have the opportunity this Sunday afternoon to do a photo shoot of a family here in town. We will be taking pictures in the City Park and at the Golf Course. Praying that they will be happy with the results.

First Wee Ball Game - Gooo Bravesss!!!!

2010-04-14T11:50:00.008-04:00

Opening Ceremonies

2010-04-13T15:08:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year again. . . Baseball season!!! Angela and David are too old to play recreational sports anymore, but that hasn't kept me from being involved. The city recreation department is intending to take over all recreational sports within the city, with baseball and softball being in the first one. This year they have 500 kids ranging between the ages of 4 - 16 registered. I was approached about coaching a wee-ball team (4 year olds) and have been thrilled thus far that I excepted the challenge.

On Saturday we had opening ceremonies and it was such fun to see the kids and their parents having a great time. The younger kids played a scrimmage game consisting of 1 inning while the older kids participated in softball and baseball clinics.
My little guys and girls had so much fun being out on the field and they did a great job. Tonight is our very first official game and I am looking forward to it and the other nine games of the season. The kids are such a joy to coach and there is no such thing as a "bad practice". . . who could not help but laugh at them (even when they aren't listening). It is such a blessing to be able to give my time to the youth of our community.

2010-04-04T22:31:00.001-04:00

Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
Cast off that I might be brought in,
Trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend,
Surrendered to hell's worst that I might attain heaven's best,
Stripped that I might be clothed,
Wounded that I might be healed,
Athirst that I might drink,
Tormented that I might be comforted,
Made a shame that I might inherit glory,
Entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes,
Groaned that I might have endless song,
Endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
Bore a thorny crown that I might have a glory-diadem,
Bowed his head that I might uplift mine,
Experienced reproach that I might receive welcome,
Closed his eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness,
Expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not thine only Son that thou mightest spare me,
All this transfer thy love designed and accomplished;
Help me to adore thee by lips and life.
- Puritan prayer, from The Valley of Vision

Walls We Build

2010-03-27T20:12:00.002-04:00

Imagine a wall that is so impenetrable, much like a bullet proof vest. Not like the wall at a bank that separates you from the tellers but an unseen wall that protects your mind and soul.

Many of you know exactly what I am talking about, the wall you build to protect your heart and soul from emotional destruction, not just love relationships but friendships also. It's hard to say how or when the wall begins, but over time it gets taller, thicker and more and more impenetrable. Things like crying are looked upon as weak or a vulnerability that is not afforded. To the outside world you are one tough cookie but in reality you are sensitive and hurt easily but never allow the world to see that.

The wall helps to keep you just the right distance away from your emotions. It keeps you from allowing others to reach out to you due to your reluctance to open your heart. Many times we talk about wanting more intimacy in our lives but just when we get what we want we somehow sabotage ourselves. We are afraid to fall too fast because the more we trust someone the easier it is for him or her to break our heart. There are times when we get tired of being strong and holding up this wall.

This intimacy with another allows us to be vulnerable, implying that we may get hurt. Although it is safe within the wall it gets very lonely with nobody they allow in. Eventually these walls become too high for you to climb over and you become a prisoner of your own doing.

Trust is not an easy thing. Friends come and go, boyfriend/girlfriends come and go; it hurts each time. Do we really want to do it all over again, break down the wall just to have to rebuild it?

The strongest base for a relationship is a good friendship with honesty, communication and genuineness. If you find someone who proves these to you it helps to break down barriers. Who do you trust though? Can the wall be broken? Can you trust enough to break down that wall?

Ok, so one day you break down the wall, can it stay down? Will the smallest thing make you buy all the mortar and bricks and build a new wall bigger and better, one that makes the Great Wall of China look like a backyard fence? The saying goes "The hardest thing is loving someone and having the courage to let them love you back" What do you think? Do you have a wall? If you had one, how did you break it down?

Insecurities - Leave Me Alone!

2010-03-17T10:13:00.003-04:00

"Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come." Proverbs 31:25

A friend and I have been reading and discussing Beth Moore's most recent book "So Long Insecurity". I have enjoyed our discussion immensely. It's no surprise that this book hits home more than I care to admit and facing those insecurities have brought me to my knees in prayer on numerous occasions. I'm beginning to realize that insecurity is sure sign of unbelief!

The scripture above is one that Beth brought out in Chapter 8 and I find myself clinging to this verse when insecurity rears its ugly head. I tend to put on the "tough girl" act but deep down inside I battle daily with insecurities and to be honest I am so tired of it. It has been comforting to know that I'm not the only one and to actually have someone that I can talk to about those insecurities is such a blessing from God.

One of the biggest insecurities in my life deal with relationships. I'm horrible at relationships. Relationships are a struggle for me in that I constantly doubt myself. Some of the crazy things will trigger my insecurity. Things like. . .

Getting an offhanded comment from a person who has teeny stench of superiority about him/her.
My girlfriends go out and don't invite me.
I get a three line response to an email that took me an hour to write.
I pour out my heart to someone and they just don't get it.
I catch my significant other looking/talking to another woman (she might be a friend or a stranger)

The list could go on and on. Needless to say when the insecurities come, so does stupid behavior and then desire to give myself a swift kick in the behind. Oh to be rid of the insecurities!

A Heart Problem

2010-03-11T11:23:00.003-05:00

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34)

The thoughtless and malicious use of the truth can be as devastating to others and to our witness as outright and intentional dishonesty, not to mention what it does to our spiritual life. Truth can be used as a weapon to hurt someone. Simply because something is true does not mean it should be repeated. Unnecessarily repeating a truth about someone can destroy their faith in people (especially within the body) and cause them to withdraw from the church fellowship. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus says the words we use reveal the condition of our hearts, which is his primary concern. He is interested in what we say and do, but he's more interested in the motives behind them. Before we say anything about someone, we should follow THINK. Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? And, is it kind?

From time to time, I've been guilty of telling something about another that person that, although true, caused terrible pain (and the sad part is I got some sort of perverse joy from it). In an effort to rid my life of this sin, I've had to think about ways that Satan can tempt us to misuse truth in hurtful and destructive ways.

A friend may tell me something about herself in confidence, but I find the temptation to share this information with some one else irresistible. I've violated the confidence of a friend and used a truth to destroy a relationship, perhaps forever.

I may have witnessed the stumbling of a fellow Christian who has fallen into sin. As a fellow believer, what should be my attitude toward that person? As Jesus modeled forgiveness, kindness, and redemption for the woman caught in adultery, I should love and pray for that person and seek to help him/her repent of their sin and return to a Godly lifestyle. I should never shoot the wounded, but help them to heal.

I've been know to pride myself in "telling it like it is." But, there is a huge difference in telling it like it is and being pure, holy, and edifying in my speech. Sometimes telling it like it is may not please God. I don't have to say it just because it is true. I don't have to share that juicy morsel of gossip just because it turns out to be fact. My words reveal what I am really like deep down in my heart. An apple tree doesn't produce grapes and a grapevine doesn't produce apples. If I'm walking close to Christ, my wholesome speech will be the fruit of that relationship. Words of kindness and hurtful words should never come from the same mouth. If I have an untamed tongue (and I do at times), it is because I have an impure heart.

The heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Let's pray that God will give us hearts and minds modeled after Jesus and make a commitment to never us the truth to damage someone ever again. Being careful about what we say and how we say it is a sign of Christian maturity. "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."(Ephesians 4:29)

Spring Training

2010-03-09T19:14:00.005-05:00

We traveled to Lakeland on Monday for the Braves/Tiger Spring Training game. It was a beautiful day for baseball. It's always a joy watching David at a game. The boy could seriously eat, drink, and breathe baseball.

L

Spring Photo Shoot with Angela

2010-03-09T18:50:00.003-05:00

On Saturday Angela and I drove over to West Palm Beach to do a photo shoot. I have been begging for months to do one with her and she finally relented. I loved the outcome! Now if I can talk David into doing one!

FLW 2010

2010-02-25T22:08:00.002-05:00

Watched the sunrise this morning over Lake O and the FLW fishermen begin the tournament. It was chilly out and my hands were numb after taking pictures, but it was well worth it.

2010-02-19T10:35:00.002-05:00

Believer, allow the healthy, utterly whole, and completely secure part of us (Christ in us) increasingly overtake our earthen vessels until it drives out every emotion, reaction, and relationship. Allowing God's truth to eclipse every false positive and let our eyes spring open to the treasure we have, there in His glorious reflection and see the treasure we are! It is then that the beauty of the Lord our God will be upon us! - Beth Moore

Valentines Banquet

2010-02-14T22:00:00.002-05:00

Tonight our church held their Valentine's Banquet. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the love of God and our love for each other.

2010-01-29T12:48:00.003-05:00

Last night while reading Broken-Down House by Paul D. Tripp I had to admit that I fail miserably at what he as "Cruciform Love" (the love we give other that shapes itself, molds itself to resemble in some essential way what took place at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.). It is a willing self-sacrifice for the redemptive good of another. He gives the following practical terms to suggest what it means to be committed to being an instrument of cross-shaped love:

Not keeping yourself so busy with you and yours that you have no practical time to love others.
Being committed to knowing people, because you can minister only in very limited ways to those whom you do not know.
Being willing to have your life complicated by the needs and struggles of others.
Being willing to share your physical resources with others.
Being willing to live with an open home.
Being perseverant and patient even when the love you give is not returned.
Actively looking for places where you can function as one of God's tools of love.
Resisting the temptation to be judgmental, self-righteous, and critical.
Overlooking minor offenses and fighting the temptation to become bitter or cynical.
Making life decisions out of a recognition of this inescapable call to love.
Being lovingly and humbly honest in moments of misunderstanding; more committed to reconciliation than to being right.
Admitting that you are still learning to love as you have been loved.
Being willing to own up to your sin and admit your faults.
Not judging the success of your life by the size of your house or bank account, or by the quality of your car, but the the quality of your love for God and others.
Regularly examining the motivations, desires, and thoughts of your heart in the mirror of God's Word.
Moving beyond simply surrounding yourself with people whom you find comfortable and likeable.
Being a student of God's Word, a joyful participant in the means of grace, and a committed participant in the fellowship of the body of Christ, so that the love you offer others may be increasingly pure and mature.
Being willing to be misunderstood, mistreated, and misrepresented for the sake of incarnating Christ's love.
Overcoming evil with good.
Not letting race, social class, gender, age, or ethnicity get in the way of a biblical call to Christlike love.
Willing to have your schedule and plans interrupted or altered.
Willing to grant and seek forgiveness.
Paying attention to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the people God puts in your path, and looking for ways to help them bear these burdens.
Believing that God will not call you to a task without giving you what you need to accomplish it.
Willing to get up earlier and stay up later.
Learning the details about someone's struggle so that you love wisely, while at the same time guarding the reputation of the person you are loving.
Weeping with the one who weeps and rejoicing with the one who rejoices.
Willing to endure tense and uncomfortable situations lovingly.
Not allowing yourself plausible excuses that seemingly free your from love's call.
Making a commitment to being a faithful friend.
Willing to take on big things, even as you humbly admit your limits.
Keeping your promises and being faithful to your word.
Being open to correction, loving criticism, and godly rebuke.
Believing in the body of Christ and recognizing that you are but one of the tools in God's big toolbox of redemption.
Being open to sound counsel and receptive to advice.
Willing to go to bed tired and to awake to another day of calling.
Hiding God's Word in your heart and keeping his Kingdom always before your eyes.
Refusing to become anyone's substitute messiah, but instead to point people to the presence and grace of Jesus.
Looking out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Building relationships, not just for the purpose of being relationally comfortable, but so that those relationship would be a workroom for redemption.
Loving people in such a way that they never feel like thy are in debt to you.
Remembering that you are more like than unlike the people you are called to love.
Understanding that the call to love is a call to both word and deed.
Daily remembering Jesus, being in awe of the gift of his love and living thankfully.

Published

2010-01-28T18:08:00.004-05:00

Back in November I opened a Flickr account to store photos in case my computer every crashed. I didn't go to the trouble of making any of the pictures private. At the end of December I received the following email on my flickr account. . .

I am writing to let you know that one of your photos has been short-listed for inclusion in the tenth edition of our Schmap Fort Myers Guide, to be published late January 2010.
Clicking this link will take you to a page where you can:
i) See which of your photos has been short-listed.
ii) Submit or withdraw your photo from our final selection phase.
iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides.
iv) Browse online or download the ninth edition of our Schmap Fort Myers Guide.
While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. Photos are published at a maximum width of 150 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr.
Our submission deadline is Friday, January 8. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap Guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases).
Best regards,
Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

I responded giving them the permission and was in awe that it might be used for their guide. I haven't heard back from Emma, but this afternoon on a whim I decided to google the Schmap Guides for Ft. Myers just to see if they had actually used the photo. To my delight it was there. I am still in awe that one of my photos is actually being used for promotion of one of the places I visited.

You can check out the photo at Schmap Guides. Then click on Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. In the upper right hand corner of the page is a slide show of photos of the Preserve. Click the right arrow and it is about the 16th picture.

Where is Your Hope?

2010-01-19T20:18:00.007-05:00

As I was reading Colossians 3:2(Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth) today I was thinking "yeah, I just wish it were that easy." Having an eternal perspective can be so flabbergasting and so hard to imagine that I find myself thinking at times that it sounds great but so unattainable. Today as I meditated on this verse I thought about a testimony I heard about how one woman learned to live with an eternal perspective. Allow me to share it with you. . .

Mollie had become a Christian at a young age. Later in her life she met and married, Al, a thriving wealthy Christian businessman. Al and Mollie built a large home in a well-to-do neighborhood and had 4 children. They were involved in church ministry, had the best things money could buy, their children were wonderful, and they had great friends. They were living the American dream.

As the years went by Mollie began to notice that Al was withdrawn, irritable, and evasive. But she kept telling herself that he was a busy man, so she just avoided upsetting him and made excuses for his behavior. Before long it was obvious their marriage was in trouble. The only time they talked was when finances and schedules demanded it or when others were around. When Mollie would try to talk to Al about their problems, he would remind her of the life he had provided for her. After months of trying to talk and their marriage continuing on a downward spiral she decided to seek help, but Al refused to seek counseling for himself. He insisted she was the only one with a problem.

She found a counselor and after months of continued hurt, discouragement and being frazzled , Mollie went with two of her closest friends for a weekend get away. She needed to clear her head and decide what to do next. Most of all she need the encouragement these women could provide. As they headed out for the beach condo she was excited about the weekend away and relieved, but she didn't have a clue what was transpiring at home.

Back home, Al was loading the moving truck. Over the past year he had been planning his and the children's exit. He had slowly moved his assets into his partner's name. Not only was he determined to leave, but he was determined to destroy Mollie (emotionally and financially).

Upon Mollie's return home on Sunday evening she found the house empty except for a bed, a table and her clothes. She could not make sense of it and began to call friends looking for her family but no one knew where they were. She then began to call Al, but none of his numbers were working. Finally she found a note in the kitchen: "I'm not coming back, I won't give you visitation rights unless you make this easy. You will fend for yourself from here on out." She was devastated. She cried for days and tried to make sense of her life. As the days passed she faced the most difficult time of her life. Things that she had looked to for her daily support had all disappeared and her life would never be the same. What would she do? She finally turned to her Pastor and after months of counseling, studying God's Word and praying she realized that her hope had been in man, material things, family, money, her lifestyle and friends. She had built her house on sinking sand and it happened without her realizing it. Although she was a Christian, Christ was not where her eyes and heart were fixed, she had fixed her eyes upon earthly treasures alone.

Today Mollie is working and supporting herself. She has seen her children a few times since Al left and she has begun to make new friends. The last time I spoke with her, she told me "I'm standing!" She has hope! Firm steadfast, and trustworthy hope. The fear has been replaced with courage. The saddness has turned to joy and she has a desire to live.

What happened? Where did the changes come from? She started to look at life through an eternal perspective and when she did she got her hope back.

Having an eternal perspective helps us know how to live in this sinful world. Until we think with an eternal perspective we don't understand what is truly important nor will we know what to do with our life. It brings a Christian a genuine hope no matter the circumstance and produces courage and discernment. Without an eternal perspective Christianity makes no sense ("If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men - 1 Corinthians 15:19). Everything God calls us to do with our hearts and hands points to the reality of eternity. If all we have is this life, then what comes next? Our life on earth is just prep work for the eternity that awaits us.

Eternal perspective also helps us see that this world is not left to incidental happenings and disorder. It's the exact opposite, it's a world under the rule of a Redeemer who loves us so much that he gave his life for us and so powerful that he can defeat even death. There is reason for hope when we realize that our life is in the hands of the One who "created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. . . and is before all things and in him hold all things together."

What Mollie discovered was that the things of this world were never meant to give hope or life. Because she came to that realization (by God's grace), she lives with hope and courage she never had before. Her eyes had been fixed on earthly things (love of man, material things, family, money, lifestyle and friends) but are now fixed on eternal things.

So I ask you, are your eyes fixed on the eternal? Is your hope in the eternal? Are you asking people, circumstance, and things to do what they were never meant to do? Are you looking to this world to be your God? What holds your hope?

One day, you and I will be on the other side. Will we say, "Salvation belongs to our God, and to the Lamb!"? Will we be able to say then that the hope we have never disappoints us?

Sanctity of Human Life

2010-01-17T10:49:00.001-05:00

Today we observe Sanctity of Human Life across our nation. Isn’t it strange that we have set aside a day to remember human life? There are 388 endangered animals and 129 threatened species and Americans have gone out of their way to protect all kinds of life. However, we have failed to protect human life. The words of Jesus in Mark 10:14 , "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”, are beautiful. Yet despite those words, nearly one million unborn children die by abortion every year in America.

Where can we start? We can start by getting on our knees and cry out to God to forgive us for closing our eyes and looking the other way for too long as young women have chosen to believe the lies of the world telling them abortion is okay and we weren’t there to refute those lies. The time has come for us as Christians to rise up against abortion and become involved in the lives of those who have chosen abortion or face an unwanted pregnancy.

What can we do?
1. Call your nearest pregnancy resource center and ask how you can help.
2. Reach out loving arms to those experiencing crisis pregnancies in this community. Get involved in their lives and help meet their needs.
3. Share the Good News of God's love by lovingly sharing others the way to receive forgiveness for sin and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

There's a Light at the End of the Tunnel

2010-01-05T19:54:00.005-05:00

It seems like the past 3 months the house has been in a mess either from walls being torn out, painting being done or new flooring being put in. But praise God, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel and we have been blessed with friends that were willing to help out in so many different ways and we were blessed with an unexpected financial gift to help pay for the repairs.

The house is once again back to normal. The only other minor project left is to put in baseboards and that is nothing compared to the other things we have tackled. We are thrilled with the repairs and the way our house looks.

2010

2010-01-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

"At any age it does us no harm to look over our past shortcomings and plan to improve our characters and actions in the coming year." - - Eleanor Rossevelt

As each New Year approaches, I always have uncertainties about what it will bring. Uncertainties regarding health, financial issues, issues involving my children, their education, their health, and the struggles they face growing up in a corrupt society. Yet at the same time the new year brings exciting opportunities.

Whenever I begin to fret or worry about the uncertainties of life, I catch myself trusting in my own strength, abilities and resources. As a Christian, I have been told by Jesus himself not to worry or be anxious about anything that I may need. "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?. . . And which of you being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?. . . For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:25,27,32-33)". What a simple proposition and promise - - yet it is so difficult for me to accept. The point here is that in 2010 I should make my relationship with my Lord the most important thing in my life. Once I have done that, it's amazing how God will remove the worries and anxieties and meet my every need.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are instructed to trust the Lord with every fiber of our being, and never ever think we are wise enough to handle our own problems or challenges. As we live for him and seek his will for our lives, He will provide direction, and wisdom sufficient for every situation we may encounter. All we must do is trust him with all our hearts.

As I face 2010, no doubt I will feel inadequate to deal with every situation as it arises; and often I may feel as if I can't really trust anyone. But God knows what is best for me, and is a far better judge of what I want and need than I am. As I begin the new year, my desire is to make him the central and vital part of everything I do. Then I can claim his promise to meet my needs and guide me because I will be striving to live according to His will and purpose for my life. It is my prayer that 2010 will be the best year of my life as I draw closer to my Lord and trust him with all my heart.

Cherokee Park

2009-12-27T21:59:00.004-05:00

While we were visiting family up in Georgia during the Christmas holidays we went to Cherokee Park in Thomasville to take some photos. I wish now that I had taken the time to grab the tripod. Here are just a few of my favorites from the day.

Things that weigh heavy

2009-11-30T22:00:00.004-05:00

Here we are the first day of December. . . where has this year gone? It seems the older I get the faster the years go by. Before you know it Christmas will have come and gone and we will welcome in 2010. Thoughts of the past have been on my mind recently. There are some things that I would change and then others that I would do the same way. But reality is that I can't turn back time I can only learn from the mistakes and cherish the memories and try to pass along the things I've learned to my children. Right now, the things I am trying to teach and pass on to them may seem unimportant, but I know that the day is coming that they will look back and say, "She was right, she wasn't crazy after all."

During the Thanksgiving holidays this year I missed my extended family more than I have in past years. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed cooking and spending time with the kids but I truly missed being with my dad, brothers, sister and their families. It's been too long since we were all together. David mentioned the other day that he kept hearing people talking about how many people would be at their house for Thanksgiving and how they love it, but he had never experienced it. It made me think about how much they have missed out on living so far from the rest of our family and it made me appreciate the sense of closeness I had growing up with family.

I read tonight about a man that came from a broken home. Like my children, he didn't have a father in the home, and his home had abuse, turmoil and fighting. So often we read stories where children from broken homes continue the cycle generation after generation. But this story ended differently, that young man surrendered his life to Christ and today he has a family of his own. Praise God the cycle of family destruction was changed into a life of love, happiness and forgiveness in his life.

I cannot argue that divorce takes it toil on our children. I often worry that my children, as adults, will go through divorce or bitterness because of them coming from a broken home. Some days are tougher than others, but through prayer I get through those days and trust that God will do the same work in their hearts that he did in mine. The toughest of days is when I see myself in the two of them and the instant reaction is to protect them from making the mistakes that I made. But I'm coming to realize that they too have to learn just as I did. God has given them into my care to guide, direct, teach and protect but ultimately He is in control. I continue to show them love, set boundaries, and discipline,and all the while commit them to the Father who is much more capable of parenting than I will ever be. In the end they, like their mother, will have some bumps, bruises and even some scars to remind them of the choices they made, but I above all I pray they will turn out to be a man and a woman that glorifies the Father.

Lead me to the Cross

2009-11-21T23:32:00.006-05:00

Liz and I enjoyed trekking through the woods at Highlands Hammock State Park this afternoon. We enjoyed conversation and just enjoying God's beautiful creation. Liz is such a blessing in my life. I'm blessed to have a sweet, humble and encouraging sister in Christ in my life. I always feel blessed after spending a day with her. No wonder God tells us in the Word, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." We need the fellowship of other believers to encourage us, to engage us to think deep on the riches of Christ. Liz is one I can count on to lead me to the cross.

Babies Galore & Women's Ministry

2009-11-20T22:26:00.007-05:00

We have hosted 3 baby showers in the last month at church. Our nursery will be overflowing with babies by January. Two of the three (Emsley Kate and Jesuah Emmanuel) have entered this world. We are anxiously awaiting the birth of Clayton in December. These babies are truly a gift from God.

Tonight we held our second women's ministry outreach. This month we prepared fruit baskets (with other goodies) for our members that are either in the nursing home or are not able to attend church due to their health. We prepared 11 baskets and they will delivered by the Tuesday morning prayer group next week. After we prepared the baskets several of the ladies went out to dinner. It was so much fun laughing with these ladies and getting to know them better.

An Outburst of Faith and Patience

2009-11-10T07:02:00.004-05:00

"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and
patience inherit what has been promised." Hebrews 6:12

It is no accident that you find yourself in the season you are in your walk of faith. Have a fresh outburst of faith and patience. Allow God to do His thing! God is not inactive in your life. "For my Father is always at his work to this very day and I, too, am working."

Two More

2009-11-07T20:36:00.004-05:00

Another Saturday. . . two more walls! Three more walls and one more room to go!

2009-11-05T09:12:00.001-05:00

"When you are in the midst of a test-trial-suffering, God is holding up a mirror to your inner heart and the reflection He hopes to see is Himself. Who is in the mirror? Yourself or God?"

The Broken Pieces

2009-11-03T22:39:00.006-05:00

I love the stained glass windows at our church and the way the Florida sunlight shines through them. I had taken this picture months ago and had forgotten about it until I saw a friend's post on Facebook tonight. The next time I look at a stained glass window I know this statement will come to mind. . .

God will use our brokenness like broken pieces of glass. . . putting them together into the most beautiful stained-glass window that He will shine through!!

Forging Ahead

2009-11-01T07:34:00.004-05:00

We have continued to spend the major part of our weekends painting. We have two more rooms to go and there seems to be an end in a sight. The living and kitchen walls have been completed and once they are painted we can put the paint brushes and rollers away.

City Fall Festival Booth

2009-10-24T20:02:00.004-04:00

Our church participated in the City Fall Festival this year. Our booth was so cute thanks to Bereance! The kids loved the pumpkin roll race and the yummy desserts.

Dinner Island

2009-10-24T19:43:00.004-04:00

Baking for the City Fall Festival

2009-10-23T22:17:00.004-04:00

Ordination Service

2009-10-20T10:43:00.007-04:00

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2-3

On Sunday night our church ordained our associate pastor, Joshua Vincent. It was a sweet time in the life of our church and in Joshua's life.

Joshua with the ordained men

Joshua with the deacon chairman and our Senior Pastor

Joshua and Todd

Black Eyed Susans

2009-10-13T21:08:00.003-04:00

I can't take the credit for these. It's all Angela!

Home Repairs

2009-10-12T20:57:00.005-04:00

The repairs are moving forward. The open floor plan has been replaced with walls. The next step is to add the door facings and paint. Once that is completed the trim can be put back on. Hopefully that will done within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

While the work was being done on the living room and kitchen walls, we were busy painting the master bathroom. I forgot to take before pictures, so it's difficult to document the changes.

This past weekend we repainted the master bedroom and moved the furniture around. In the midst of putting primer on the walls I remembered to take a before picture. Tonight I took after pictures.

On the makeover agenda this weekend is the kid's bathroom and David's room.

Not Done Yet

2009-10-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

Last night was our first monthly missions opportunity at church. The first Wednesday night of each month the men and women will meet separately (Brotherhood and Women on Missions) to learn about International and North American missions, ways we can be involved in missions in Florida, and a time of prayer for missionaries.

A member of our church invited a very dear friend of hers to come speak at our first meeting. Dot Elliott had served for 20 years as a missionary in Japan. She shared how God worked in her life and others while she served there. Dot is currently retired and currently living in a retirement center in Tampa. At 84 years old she is still serving. She is currently coordinating a Bible study at the retirement center each week (finding speakers, worship leaders, etc) for those living there and anyone else that wants to attend.

It was an encouragement to hear her speak about the work that she has done and is still doing for the Kingdom. The most encouraging was to hear her say that she is still doing the Lord's work and doesn't plan on stopping until God is ready for her to stop.

Finally Got It. . .

2009-10-02T22:29:00.005-04:00

and not just one but three of three! I was so happy that I drove down SR835 after work today. A friend had been watching for the Black-eyed Susans to bloom and she told me today that they were blooming.

I was thrilled not only to get some photos of the Black-eyed Susans but these beautiful creatures as well. My favorite being the Crested Carcara.

The Lord's Prayer - The Message Version

2009-09-26T23:02:00.002-04:00

Heard the Lords Prayer read today at the Hearts Called to Prayer Conference hosted at our church . I've never heard this particular translation.

Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

2009-09-25T07:05:00.002-04:00

The roof is completed and we are waiting for the final inspection on it. The true test will come when we get a heavy rain. With the roof completed we went ahead with replacing the walls that we knew had water damage. Knowing that the walls had gotten wet we knew we would be replacing at least one or two walls. Once we started tearing out walls we discovered not only had they gotten wet, but mold had begun to grow. So we ended up taking out the entire section of walls in the living room. Luckily the mold had not spread and was contained to the living room walls and only required scrubbing down the studs with a bleach solution and will let them dry out for the next week.

For now we are enjoying the new look in the living room.

Mastered?

2009-09-23T07:47:00.003-04:00

"You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am." John 13:13

If we are consciously aware that we are being mastered, that idea itself is proof that we have no master. If that is our attitude toward Jesus, we are far away from having the relationship He wants with us. He wants us in a relationship where He is so easily our Master and Teacher that we have no conscious awareness of it - a relationship where all we know is that we are His to obey.
-Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Happy Fall Ya'll

2009-09-22T15:11:00.002-04:00

When you live in South Florida you don't get to enjoy the changing of the seasons. In fact, you hardly notice that the seasons change. Unless of course you look on a calendar. Since today is the first day of Fall and the leaves here are still green and it's still 90+ degrees out, the only way I will actually notice a change in seasons is if I change the seasons on my blog template. So in celebration of the Fall season I give my readers (the two or three that occasionally stop by) a new look. If you don't like it, please don't tell me! :o)

Fall Busyness

2009-09-21T19:34:00.003-04:00

We have now adjusted to our school schedule. While the carefree schedule of summer was nice, it's good to be back into a routine. I have discovered that I actually like schedules. I enjoy knowing, for the most part, what each day holds in store.

School started at the end of August for both David and Angela. David is taking 4 classes at Palm Beach Community College this semester. He will take one more semester in the Spring to complete his AA. He has classes on Monday morning, Monday evening, Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning plus an online course this semester. Due to one of his co-workers having a scheduling conflict with one of his college classes he is now working on Wednesday evening, Thursday evening and the morning shift on Saturday and Sunday. He's happy to have his Friday nights free for this semester. Angela is taking a heavy schedule at the high school this year. She has Advanced Placement U.S. History, Advanced Placement Psychology, English honors, Biology honors, Geometry honors, and a teacher aide at one of our Elementary schools. Both of busy with school work, but are diligent in their studies.

As for me, I'm enjoying working for our new pastor and excited to see our church kicking off the fall schedule of youth ministries, children's ministries, mission ministries, small groups and outreach. Our kickoff for small groups was last Tuesday night and we have 33 taking part in the 2 groups. Our first meeting is tomorrow night and I'm excited to see how God works through the small groups. Our associate pastor has done a wonderful job of organizing the small groups, as well as working with our youth department. He has incorporated the help of several members to help work with the youth and it's great to see some new faces within that department. Our mission ministries will be kicking off the first Wednesday night in October for adults and children. We will be meeting separately as men and women (Brotherhood and Women on Missions) the first Wednesday night of each month with the focus being on missions. Our children's missions ministries will be co-ed this year and we are praying that we will see some of the younger ones back when that gets underway the first Wednesday in October. Next Monday night we will begin going back out to visit members that have not been with us as well as visiting those that have visited with us.

We are also having a new roof put on the house. Due to the previous hurricanes and tropical storms our roof took a beating. Unfortunately it didn't stop at the roof, but did some damage to several of our walls inside the house. We will be getting those repaired (the work on the inside starts this week) and once they are done the painting adventure will begin. When you live in a mobile home the walls are prefab walls so to replace a wall you end up having to paint the entire room for it to match. Since we are painting I figured it would be a good time to replace the carpet that has been damaged by pets over the years. I'm thankful that we have a friend from church that is willing to replace the walls, which will save a tremendous amount of money, and that I can paint the walls myself. Not to mention that once it's all completed it will be like living in a new place.

We are keeping busy and enjoying the fall.

Sweet 16 to My Sweet Baby Girl

2009-09-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today is my baby girl's 16th birthday. Where have the years gone? It seems like it was yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with you. You captured my heart from the moment you were born. I could not have asked for a more precious gift from God than the one he gave me 16 years ago today.

You meet life with determination and confidence. You have a heart for people and are always put others before yourself. You are inquisitive and love a good debate. Your willing to work hard and find enjoyment in the little things in life.

You are a wonderful daughter! I pray that as you continue to grow that you will achieve your goals with the determination, excitement, and confidence that you have done these past 16 years. Most of all I pray that you will always know that you are a gift from God and I am so blessed that God has granted me the privilege of being your mom.

I Love You!

Random #4

2009-09-12T20:10:00.003-04:00

Rejection

2009-09-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

How bad does it hurt to be rejected? At some point in our lives all of us have been rejected. It may have been by friend, co-worker, family member, or boyfriend/girlfriend. It's stings to be rejected by others. I've been rejected more times than I care to think about and I've held "pity parties" over being rejected. I was reminded this morning just how important it is to understand Jesus as our shepherd when someone has rejected me.

"The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. . ." - John 10:12

The hired hand abandons the sheep because they aren't his own and he's not committed to them. Why stick around and get eaten when he's not the real owner? So, he runs, leaving the sheep vulnerable. What imagery! All of us are sheep, whether we recognize that or not. And it's not the hired hands of this world we need to put our trust in but in the shepherd instead. When trouble comes, the shepherd is going to be the one willing to lay down His life for us. He'll be the one with his rod and staff fighting off the wolf. He's not going to leave us vulnerable. God tells us that He will lay down His life for us. And that isn't just lip service. He did it when He went to the cross for us and laid down His life for us.

Rejection hurts. But what does it really matter if a hired hand deserts us when we have a Shepherd? What have we really lost? It'll hurt for a little while and we might even experience pain and tears, but when we realize the good Shepherd is still there and that He will never leave us or forsake (even for someone better, prettier, nicer) us, it's then we can embrace peace, comfort and security that we may have thought we had when that hired hand turn tail and ran.

In the midst of rejection rest assured that the good Shepherd hasn't left you alone. He's the only one that loves you enough to lay down His life for you. And when we think about it, what more could we ever want than that?

How about those Syrupmakers! Number 1!!

2009-09-11T07:41:00.002-04:00

Last night Angela was joking about my high school alma mater and how ridiculous it was that our team name was the Syrupmakers/Syrupmaids. I wonder how she will feel when I show this article on sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When I covered high school sports for The Tampa Tribune, it drove me crazy when a county would spend a fortune to build a new high school and then give it a generic nickname. How many Wildcats, Knights and Rams does the world need? Why saddle the youth of America with sobriquets that only emphasize the older generation's lack of creativity? We expect our children to excel, and since that's the case, their school teams should have excellent nicknames.

The schools on this list get it. These are the top 15 high school nicknames in America. In some cases, the name draws on the town's heritage. In others, school leaders simply sought an inspiring nickname. And with apologies to Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights, those are some great names.
15. Stuyvesant Peglegs, New York

This Manhattan school is named after Peter Stuyvesant, the last director general of New Netherland. Stuyvesant was in charge when the Dutch lost what is now New York and New Jersey to the English in 1664. Stuyvesant, who lost his right leg while serving as the governor of Curacao, was nicknamed "Old Pegleg" and "Pegleg Pete." The school, founded in 1904, kept the nickname.

14. Colorado Rocky Mountain School Oysters, Carbondale, Colo.

Maybe it's the pioneer spirit, but Colorado schools have some fantastic nicknames. Brush High is home to the Beetdiggers. Lamar High has the Savages. Alamosa High has the Mean Moose, which has a better ring than the Agitated Antelopes. But nothing compares to the name of the boys soccer team at a small boarding school 170 miles west of Denver. Lots of schools have daring nicknames, but only one has the stones to call its team the Rocky Mountain Oysters.

13. Dunbar Poets, Baltimore

The school's namesake, Paul Laurence Dunbar, was a poet. Baltimore also was home to Edgar Allan Poe, who dabbled a little in verse. Dunbar's students are mighty with their pens, but they're also mighty on the football field. The Poets have won three consecutive state titles and six since 1994.

12. Don Bosco Prep Ironmen, Ramsey, N.J.

It's a bit easier to choose a nickname at schools with an all-male or all-female student body. There are no Rams-Ewes or Bulls-Cows issues. Still, the Salesians of St. Don Bosco went the extra mile, choosing a nickname that predicted the near-invincibility of the Bosco football program. Alas, Tony Stark is not an alum.

11. Lloyd Memorial Juggernauts, Erlanger, Ky.

Every year during the NCAA Tournament, somebody breaks out a Mascot Fight to the Death Pool. The idea is simple; choose the mascot that would win in a fight. Forces of nature (Miami, Tulsa or Alabama, for example) usually win. For this reason, I've always wondered why a mid-major didn't call its teams the 100-megaton Warheads. This name might be even better. A juggernaut is an unstoppable, crushing force. It would win every time. Alas, Marvel Comics supervillian Juggernaut is not a Lloyd Memorial alum.

10. Punahou School Buffanblu, Honolulu, Hawaii

Lots of schools use their uniform colors as their nickname. Plenty of Crimsons and Green Waves dot the sporting landscape. But no school combines its colors into its nickname quite like the one that produced President Barack Obama (class of '79) and America Online founder Steve Case (class of '76). The Buffanblu also get it done on the field and court. In 2008, SI editors named Punahou the nation's best high school athletic program.

9. Staples Wreckers, Westport, Conn.

A nickname that suggests what might happen to opponents is always intimidating. In the case of the Wreckers football team, which has won three state titles in seven years, it's pretty much a promise. It also doesn't hurt the school itself boasts a fantastic name. No relation, though.

8. Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits

The school that produced Billie Jean King, Willie McGinest and Snoop Dogg doesn't have an intimidating nickname, but just try catching a Jackrabbit. They're as fast as Philadelphia Eagles first-rounder Desean Jackson, another Long Beach Poly alum.

7. Watersmeet Nimrods, Watersmeet, Mich.

This Upper Peninsula public school won national fame in 2004 for its part in an ESPN advertising campaign. While most of America considers a nimrod a silly or foolish person, the folks in Watersmeet celebrate the Biblical figure Nimrod, who was described as "a mighty hunter before the lord."

6. Johnson Atom Smashers, Savannah, Ga.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research first smashed atoms with a Proton Synchrotron in November 1959. That same year, Sol C. Johnson High opened its doors. The Johnson football team's helmets feature an atom logo, and the school calls its gym the Reaction Chamber.

5. Poca Dots, Poca, W. Va.

Named by a Charleston newspaper writer in 1928, the Dots are the best marriage of school/city name and nickname in sports. The only other sports nickname that comes close is the Macon (Ga.) Whoopee, a defunct minor league hockey franchise.

4. Cary Imps, Cary, N.C.

The name is awesome, but the logo is even better. Imagine if the Great Gazoo from The Flintstones had turned demonic and started a steroid/imp growth hormone regimen that even Bill Romanowski would have considered excessive. You would let this imp call you a dumb-dumb.

3. Lakeland Dreadnaughts, Lakeland, Fla.

According to The (Lakeland) Ledger, Lakeland principal I.G. McKay praised the 1923 Lakeland football team for "rolling over the opponents just as a massive ship steams through stormy seas." That ship, McKay decided, was a Dreadnought, the British ship that revolutionized naval warfare. The current-day Dreadnaughts usually roll over their opponents, too. In 2005 and 2006, USA Today crowned Lakeland the high school national champ.

2. Glenville Tarblooders, Cleveland

Christian Bryant, a senior defensive back at Glenville who is being recruited by most of the top 25, was kind enough to explain the origin of his team's nickname a few weeks ago. Bryant said the name came from the men who built the railroad through Cleveland. The tar from the stakes would splash the men, causing them to bleed. To the untrained eye, the men appeared to bleed tar. Their namesakes have done them proud, and "sweat blood" remains the ultimate motivational creed for Glenville athletes.

1. Cairo Syrupmakers, Cairo, Ga.

The name of this tiny south Georgia town is pronounced like the syrup, not like Egypt's capital. But contrary to popular belief, Karo syrup is not produced in Cairo. The old syrup plant used to churn out Roddenberry's. Now, the Syrupmakers just churn out championship football teams. Next month, Cairo will begin its defense of the 2008 Class AAA state title.

Random # 3

2009-09-10T22:12:00.001-04:00

Grace

2009-09-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

Just started reading Paul D. Tripp's book, Broken-Down House, and as with all of his books that I have read thus far I am enjoying it immensely.

I love his description of Grace. . .

So grace is a story and grace is a gift. It is God's character and it is your hope. Grace is a transforming tool and a state of relationship. Grace is a theology and an invitation. Grace is an experience and a calling. Grace will turn your life upside own while giving you a rest you have never known. Grace will convince you of your unworthiness without ever making you feel unloved.

Grace will make you acknowledge that you cannot earn God's favor, and it will remove your fear of not measuring up to his standards. Grace will confront you with the fact that you are much less than you thought you were, even as it assures you that you can be far more than you had ever imagined. Grace will put you in your place without ever putting you down.

Grace will enable you to face truths about yourself that you have hesitated to consider, while freeing you from being self-consciously introspective. Grace will confront you with profound weaknesses, and at the same time introduce you to new-found strength. Grace will tell you what you aren't, while welcoming you to what you can now be. Grace will make you as uncomfortable as you have ever been, while offering you more comfort than you have ever known. Grace will drive you to the end of yourself, while it invites you to fresh starts and new beginnings. Grace will dash your hopes, but never leave you hopeless. Grace will decimate your kingdom as it introduces you to a better King. Grace will expose your blindness as it gives you eyes to see. Grace will make you sadder than you have ever been before, while it gives you greater cause for celebration than you have ever known.

Grace enters your life in a moment and will occupy you for eternity. You simply cannot live a productive life in this broken-down world unless you have a practical grasp of the grace you have been given.

- Paul Tripp, Broken-Down House, pp. 42-43

Pray for True Repentance

2009-09-09T11:44:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine shared this quote with me earlier today via text message. God is good to know the words that we need to hear and exactly when we need to hear them.

"The truly repentant are often so purified and humbled by disaster that they are willing to do anything. If persons who claim repentance are still arrogant and unwilling to take responsibility, they are probably missing the fruit of repentance. They are a long way from ready. Don't bail out on them even then! Help them, speak the truth in love, and pray them to true repentance!"

- Beth Moore, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things

Go Do Some Good

2009-09-01T07:26:00.001-04:00

As Beth concluded the Simulcast on Saturday she had each of us stand and find a woman next to us, take their hands, look them in the eye and repeat these words of commissioning:
My Dear Sister, God has not overlooked you.He has not ignored you He hears every petition and intimately knows the heart beneath it. Give Him full access to all your longings pray every single day to become a person who delights in Him. When it seems to disappear remember to check your JAW! Are you jealous? Are you angry? Are you worried? Roll it all on Jesus; He's strong enough to carry it, big enough to handle it.
Trust God with all your heart. Now leave this place and go into the world and do some GOOD.

Treasures Unfolded

2009-08-29T20:45:00.007-04:00

Our weekend at the Living Proof Simulcast was awesome! God has given Beth Moore a wonderful gift and she is not sitting on it but is sharing it with others and in this day and time that is awesome. Below are some of the treasures found in the Word that Beth shared with us.

I was created to delight in a God who delights in me.

God delights to show me mercy (Micah 7)

Nothing dictates our lives like our desires - People do what people want to do. A legitimate heart desire is a sustained longing that is unaffected by mood or surroundings.

Beneath the desires of our heart is the heart of our desires - keep praying! What is under the layer of that desire. Is destiny or God's glory at stake?

Delighting in God adapts our desires into inevitability - when we delight in God there is a wonder. Give me a heart that delights in you.

Ask God to give you specifics to work on in your life - wanting to be a woman of God is too general - move to a more focused desire (deal with grief, addiction, tongue).

Nothing external can steal our right to delight. If we don't delight it's not external, it's internal. We can't blame people or circumstances if we don't delight in Him.

Every man desires unfailing love - Proverbs 19:22

What's taking a bite out of my personal delight? Look to the JAW
J- jealousy (desire tinged with envy -John Piper).Who am I jealous of?
A- anger - refrain from it - what am I mad about? Anger is constricting - delight is freeing. Anger has a degree of grief. There is always a degree of sadness in madness.
W - worry - to eat or gnaw into . . . to affect something by biting or gnawing it. Worrying never changes it. When we worry the thing we worry about ends up looking like a raw hide bone that a dog has been gnawing on. God can control it but I have no control.

We want everyone and everything to get fixed so we can be happy.
To make room for delight we have to commit.

Commit - roll your burdens upon Christ. Some of us have no delight because we refuse to commit.

Our behavior betrays our beliefs.

Fill yourself with holy passions.

Way = journey, your road, passage, course of life. Our rear ends are sore from sitting on the fence.

Nothing is passive about patiently waiting for desire to turn into delight.

Be still (v.7) stop, hold your peace, be silent. Sometimes we need to SHUT UP. There is a danger of being doers and not hearers. Learn to listen. Before you pass on a truth, receive it and meditate on it.

Wait = anxious expectations. Chiyal - to twist or to twirl - to bring forth.

Nor is glory piled upon glory good for you (Proverbs 25:27 - The Message). Self glory is not good for us. The biggest offense we can commit is arrogance. God will go to great lengths to protect our humility. Humility brings intimacy with Christ.

Til faith becomes sight trust in God and do good. Faith will become sight. Speak faith to each other.

Trust him and do good. If my objective is to be right and proven right this is not the right attitude.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

Don't sit back waiting to be proved right, get out and do some good.

Dwell in the Land - I have an inheritance. Until I receive it dwell in the land where God has placed me.

Safe pastures: feed on his faithfulness

v. 13 - the Lord sees the evil and he will deal with it.

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked

2009-08-28T09:49:00.005-04:00

The first Beth Moore study I did was over 10 years ago. It was through this particular study, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place that God created in my heart a longing to dig deep in His Word. I also developed a love for Beth’s style of teaching, her dynamic personality and her heart for women. Ten years later I have gone through many more studies (not all of them by Beth) and God continues to give me a desire and hunger for the truths, peace, and wonders that are found in the Bible.

This weekend a group of ladies and me will be attending a simulcast that Beth is doing! I am so anxious to hear her unfold the treasures found in Psalm 37. There is no doubt that God knew I needed to hear and apply these scriptures to my life.

As I have prepared my heart this week for this weekend, God has also been at work preparing others to reiterate the message of Psalm 37. Here’s a list of how God has been at work:

Prior to finding out the Scripture Beth would be teaching from I had a conversation with a dear sister in Christ this week about how I worry constantly about the way certain individuals continually treat me and others as if we are dirt beneath their feet and it seems like God just turns his eyes from what is happening and they never get what’s coming to them (Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb).
Our pastor gave me the order of worship for this Sunday and guess what the Scripture reading is . . . Psalm 37:23-25 – The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.

It has never failed yet when I am going to a Bible study or conference that God uses some other means (individuals, conversations, reading, sermon, etc.) to drive home the point he wants me to grasp.

There is no convincing me that God doesn’t pay attention to the details no matter how big or how small.

My "Yea But"

2009-08-26T16:28:00.005-04:00

John Wesley once visited General Oglethorpe, governor of the colony of Georgia. The General mentioned a man who had angered him and said, "I shall never forgive him!" Wesley replied, "Then I hope, sir, you never sin."

At different times in my life I have lived with deep resentments toward someone who has done me wrong or has offended me. And at times I have allowed that resentment to turn into burning anger and rage. Even in the midst of those feelings, I know it's wrong. Living without mercy is a prelude to dying without mercy. However, when I show mercy to others it will result in my being treated with mercy. Jesus said, "Blessed are the mericful: for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5:7)

The word "mercy" appears several times in Scripture. Sometimes it is depicted as "mercy", at others, "kindness," or "loving kindness." Mercy, as demonstrated by Jesus, involves the way a person truly feels. Mercy is to see others as Christ sees them and feel toward others as he feels toward them. In short, mercy is to have the attitude of Christ toward everyone. It is unconditional and equal compassion and forgiveness for everyone - - even when they don't deserve kindness or forgiveness. God shows his love and mercy to each one of us in that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). If I have an attitude of mercy, my actions will reflect it. Having a merciful heart makes itself known in a multitude of ways by your actions.

If I show mercy as God has shown me mercy, I will be kind and gracious to others and quick to forgive. I will always look for the best in people. Redemption, not condemnation, will be my concern. If I am merciful, I will strive to lighten the loads of others by my actions, not by just my words and feelings. Even when I may have every right to be resentful, the practice of mercy will help me to forgive. Happiness will then come from reflecting on God's mercy to me and from knowing I have shown mercy, a characteristic of God himself.

I have the head knowledge, but I need to start applying it.

Choices - Will They Land You in the Ditch?

2009-08-25T20:45:00.004-04:00

Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. ~ Genesis 12:1-5

Choices. . . we all have choices. If you are anything like me you like to have some idea what the end result will look like. I'm not big on stepping into the unknown. I've been faced with choices throughout my life, but never one such as the one Abram was faced with. Imagine God telling you not only to leave the home you have known for years, but to leave without even knowing your destination. Wouldn’t that be earth shattering news to break to your family?

Abram had to make a decision, be obedient or to disobey God. God didn't ask Abram "do you want to go?" Instead he told Abram," Get out of your country. . ." Abram didn't know what the end result would be. I wonder if Abram told God, "let me think on this, let me pray about it." It's not recorded that he did, so my guess would be that he simply obeyed even though he had no clue the outcome. God knew the route perfectly and already knew how he would provide for his every need. Abram was obedient and God delivered him.

As I've thought about Abram and his obedience to God, I realize that God wants me to get to the point that I start to see and know His Character. When I do that, I won’t have a problem with obedience even when I can’t see the end result.

I'm reminded that the will of God will never take us where His grace won't protect us. God desires for us to be obedient and when we are obedient he provides for our every need. When I'm selfish and disobedient, it's then that Satan gets a hold of me and I end up in the ditch every time.

Random # 2

2009-08-22T13:59:00.003-04:00

Vanilla Says. . .

2009-08-20T21:27:00.007-04:00

it's hot in Florida especially when you are waiting at the mobile vet clinic to get your stitches and drain tube out. Dr. Shana is such a sweet vet and my ear is doing much better. I have to continue those annoying drops for another week, but I guess I'll survive, mom says they will make my ear feel better. Next time I go for a ride or have to wait at the mobile clinic, I'd prefer that mom would take me in vehicle that the air works properly.

Random Photography

2009-08-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

I'm learning to venture out and take pictures of weird things. I read a while back at Photo Bliss to "not be too concerned that you won't like what you shoot. Just shoot – you will be delighted with what you discover and ultimately, you will learn from this kind of exercise! So shoot away; give any "weird" idea a try." The author suggested trying to get people to ask how did you get that shot, what is that, how did you come up with that?

So I'm venturing out and trying to find random things to shoot. This is one attempt.

2009-08-19T20:36:00.001-04:00

A good many are kept out of the service of Christ, deprived of the luxury of working for God, because they are trying to do some great thing. Let us be willing to do little things. And let us remember that nothing is small in which God is the source. . .

D. L. Moody, quoted in The Berean Call, Bend, Oregon, March, 1997

2009-08-19T07:18:00.004-04:00

Gotta Love It

2009-08-15T11:17:00.003-04:00

The month of August is bound to bring a named Atlantic Storm and of course the storm has it's sights on Florida - with a track that could have it bearing down on us — or barely missing us — by early Thursday.

Tropical Storm Ana (pronounced AH-NA) has a 40 percent chance of becoming a hurricane by Wednesday (oh how lovely that bit of information is). However, the computer models cannot agree on their strength predication's. The forecasters are predicating anything from a total collapse of Ana (I prefer this predication) to a category 2 hurricane. But for now the forecast is a tropical storm, but we all know how quickly that can change.

I just love hurricane season and living in South Florida (NOT). There is a bright side, however, my grass will be a beautiful green instead of a crunchy brown!

2009-08-12T22:56:00.000-04:00

"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."

Only Trust Him

2009-08-07T09:32:00.003-04:00

The last 3 months have been filled with many emotions ranging from sorrow to excitement. In April our Senior Pastor passed away. During my time at the church as a member and an employee I have experienced many things, but I never would have thought I would experience the death of a pastor. Within the body we have experienced pastors leaving for one reason or another, but this was a first (and I pray a last). I have been encouraged to see my Father's guidance and divine providence, grace, mercy and love poured out among His people. Just as God in history led His children, He continues to lead them today.

At times, I confess, I have doubted and stressed over the circumstances we were facing. I have a fear of the unknown. Who would lead us? Would we be united? But God in his infinite wisdom knew from the beginning of time the outcome over the last 3 months. The only thing I really needed to do was to seek the Father and pray that his will, not my own, be done. I will never be able to look into the future and see what lies ahead, but there is one who does.

While I feel like the storm is calming, I know that there will be more storms to come. But how sweet it is to look back and testify to God's sovereignty through it all. Just a few of the ways I've seen God at work within this body:

protection, comfort and shepherding of Katherine and her boys during this time .
members loving and caring for one another.
Joshua (our associate pastor) and his wife (Cari) loving and ministering not only to Katherine and her boys but the church body as well.
Joshua's godly counsel and leadership to the church body.
Todd (worship pastor - now senior pastor) loving, leading and serving a church body he hardly knew yet faithfully surrendering to God's call to become the senior pastor of our church.
Ginger (Todd's wife) as she's prayed and supported this body and her husband from miles away.
Our deacons faithfully serving and supporting the pastors wherever needs arose.
Our church family uniting in love as we prayerfully sought God's will.

The list could go on and on, but it has been marvelously evident that God has a plan for us, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11). We may at times doubt, but all we truly need to do is look around to see that He truly works all things together for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

It's with joy and great excitement that I look forward to see how and where God will lead us in the days to come.

Surgery

2009-08-06T13:27:00.005-04:00

Our cat, Vanilla, will undergo surgery tomorrow morning to remove an ear hematoma. Ear hematomas are caused by a collection of blood and fluid between the skin and cartilage of the ear. A blood vessel in the ear ruptures and the loose space under the skin will fill up with blood. The pressure from the ruptured vessel will often cause the entire surface of the ear to swell creating a very painful condition. These hematomas will occur very quickly, often within minutes of the vessel being ruptured. Affected animals will have a noticeably swollen, fluid-filled ear that is extremely painful to the touch. If left untreated, the pain will subside somewhat after several days, but the swelling will continue and eventually, as the fluid-filled space generates scar tissue, the ear may become permanently disfigured.

At this point we are not sure what caused the hematoma. It could be self-trauma from scratching or head shaking or it could be due to the infestation of ear mites. We won't know the cause until after the surgery because the vet could not check his ear due to the swelling.

Following surgery, Vanilla will stay at the vet's office until Monday afternoon. We miss having him at home, but are praying that once home he will be over all his ear issues.

2009-08-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Under My Skin

2009-08-02T20:35:00.002-04:00

When I was younger I believed in fairy tales. You know the ones where boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. At timea I think I have become cynical when it comes to fairy tales and happily ever after.

However, I was reading a book the other day and found this quote: "I once heard someone say that this guy had gotten under her skin. And it struck me as a remarkable thought - that someone would affect you so deeply they'd always be a part of you. There's an image that goes with that phrase: something fluid and warm that starts at your heart and spreads all the way out to your fingertips and your toes, carried by the blood."

The more I thought about this quote the more I realized I'm not as cynical about the happily ever after as I would lead people to think. I know there are those people that have experienced the happily ever after.

But that's not the thing that struck me the most about this quote. What got me was the fact that when I've heard the phrase "he/she really gets under my skin" I've thought of it in a negative sense. However, I can see the positive in that aspect. Tonight I sit here thankful that I've experienced someone getting under my skin in a positive way. I'm thankful that "he gets under my skin". Whether he is here or miles away, when I think of him he gets under my skin and it starts in my heart and spreads to my fingertips and toes.

Is there someone that gets under your skin in a positive way?

Myakka River State Park - Vacation Day 5

2009-07-31T07:00:00.007-04:00

On Thursday morning we drove back up State Road 72 to Myakka River State Park for a day of sightseeing. Myakka River State Park is one of Florida's oldest, largest and most diverse natural areas. It was developed in 1934 by the Cilivan Conservation Corps. The Myakka River flows through 58 square miles of wetlands, prairies, hammocks and pinelands. The river and it's two shallow lakes attract numerous wetland creatures.

While there we walked down a nature trail and then climbed the 70 foot towers for an awesome view of the wetlands, forest and prairie. Before climbing the tower we had to cross the Myakka canopy walkway. The walkway is suspended 25 feet above the ground and extends 100 feet through the hammock canopy. While walking on the nature trail we saw a dragonfly that was dying and a big ant commonly known as a velvet ant (the proper name for it is dasymutilla magnifica).

After climbing the tower we ate lunch at one of the picnic areas. While eating we fed the squirrels and some ugly crows. After eating lunch we hopped aboard the "Myakka Maiden" for a scenic cruise on Upper Myakka Lake. While on the lake we saw several gators, a great egret, blue heron, and an ospery.

This is a great place to visit, but not during the month of July. Especially if you have people with you that aren't into looking for wildlife.

Beach Vacation Day 4, 5, 6

2009-07-30T07:00:00.008-04:00

David went home on Wednesday afternoon after spending time on the beach and lazying around the pool. He spent the rest of his vacation in West Palm Beach with Tommy and other friends that live there.

The rest of the week we spent playing at the beach, going to see the movie "My Sister's Keeper", enjoying a huge amusement center, lazying around the pool, and visiting a state park (a separate post on that to follow).

While traveling to the beach I spotted a beautiful bird sitting on the fence, but by the time I pulled off the road and got the camera out a Florida Highway Patrol pulled another car over and spooked it. So I watched for the bird on the way home hoping to get a picture of it. Once again I pulled over and got the camera out. As I was approaching to snap the picture our friends, Annie and Linda, drove by and blew the horn at me. The bird took flight and I didn't get the picture. I was so frustrated, but hopefully there will be other opportunities.

We got home on Sunday afternoon in time to unpack, pick up Bailey from the sitter and go to church. At times through out the week it was challenging to keep everyone happy. But, all in all it was a good week.

Beach Vacation Day 3

2009-07-29T07:00:00.005-04:00

We spent most of the day at the beach. Angela and Annie went parasailing and had a blast. We were able to watch them from the public beach access.

Later in the evening, Jim and Phyllis came over and we grilled steaks. After dinner we went walking on the beach and took some pictures of the sunset. God's handiwork is amazing.

(Click on collage to enlarge)

Beach Vacation - Day 2

2009-07-28T07:00:00.003-04:00

We woke up to the sound of thunder. By 9:00 a.m. it was raining and a day at the beach didn't seem too promising. David and Angela went to Books a Million and then decided to go to see Transformers. With them gone, the three girls decided to go get a pedicure at the mall. The pedicure was so relaxing and our toes looked great afterwards.

Later in the afternoon the weather cleared up and everyone hit the pool at the condo where we met the neighbors from Louisville, Kentucky. Later in the evening we invited them to join us for bowling. The kids and I were nervous because we had only had very short conversations with them. But it turned out that they were wonderful people.

20 Years Old

2009-07-27T07:14:00.004-04:00

It's official, David is no longer a teenager! He's now 20 and it's hard for this mom to believe. Happy Birthday David! We love you! I praise God for giving me such a wonderful son.

Beach Vacation - Day 1

2009-07-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

I arrived at the condo on Siesta Key mid-morning on Sunday (David and Angela) arrived around 1:00 p.m. Linda and I went to Publix to buy groceries for the week while we waited on D & A to arrive and Annie was at the beach.

After buying groceries and putting them away we went over to Jim & Phyllis' condo to frolic on the beach and eat dinner. Our friends, Betty & Buddy, had driven over for the day as well. Before dinner Buddy, Betty and I went walking along this beach looking for shells and taking pictures.

Respectable Sins Book Review

2009-07-18T15:25:00.002-04:00

I highly recommend Jerry Bridge's book "Respectable Sins". It is a book about sin, but it deals with the sins that we often do not take seriously. Christians have a way of focusing on the sins of society around us while overlooking the sins so prominent in our own hearts and lives.

The book opens by showing us the gospel of Jesus Christ and what God has done for us to help us to be people of holiness. Bridges reminds us that holiness is not something we can obtain on our own since our flesh wars against the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17). Bridges shows that the way to holiness is not in rules of religion but only by the grace of God given to us freely in Christ (Titus 2:11-14). The problem of holiness is not that we can't obtain it but that we are by nature children of sin who need to be born again by the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:25-27; John 3:3-7).

Secondly, Bridges turns to showing us that sin is not just found in society at large but it can be in our thoughts, our words, and in our actions. It is easy to see sin in others, Bridges points out, but we need to first see sin in us (Matthew 7:1-3). Bridges then takes the light of God's Word and allows us to see that all sin grieves the heart of God (Ephesians 4:29-31). Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). The Law of God shows us our sins (Romans 7:7, 14; 1 Timothy 1:8-10; James 2:8-11).

Bridges gives 7 helpful directions with dealing with sin:

Address our sin in the content of the gospel - God has forgiven our sin and credited to us the perfect righteousness of Christ.
Rely on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit - For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Recognize our responsibility to diligently pursue all practical steps for dealing with our sin.
Identify specific areas of acceptable sins.
Memorize and apply appropriate scriptures.
Pray over the sins we tolerate
Involve one or more other believes with us in our struggles against our subtle sins.

After giving these practical steps of dealing with our sins, he writes a chapter about each one of these acceptable sins: ungodliness, anxiety and frustration, discontentment, unthankfulness, pride, selfishness, lack of self-control, anger, judgemental ism, envy, jealousy, sins of the tongue, and worldliness. This is a long list, and to be quite honest, I found that I had need to deal with almost all of them.

One of the ways that I have continued to meditate on the things contained in this book is by using a tree as an illustration. I have always thought of pride being the root of sin. But since reading this book, my thought process has changed. The life of a tree is the root system. Pride is the trunk of the tree not the roots. The root system is ungodliness. It is ungodliness that ultimately gives life to our more visible sins. Christians are ungodly. Ungodliness is defined as living one's every day life with little or no thought of God, God's will, God's glory or one's dependence on God. Whether we like to admit it or not after examining ourselves there is truth in that statement.

I believe this book will be tremendously helpful to Christians of all ages as they read it. It accomplishes several goals if read with humility. First, it brings sins we often neglect to deal with to the front of our minds. How many of us have even thought about our impatience this week? It's a sin we learn to live with. Or how many of us have thought about our lack of self control today? Second, this book focuses on heart issues and not externals. Sins of the heart are serious before the Lord, but we neglect them because no one else sees them. Respectable Sins drives our attention inward to our own hearts. Third, after driving our spiritual gaze inward, Bridges drives our gaze upward to the gospel. This book is gospel saturated and thoroughly explains how the gospel confronts our sins and shapes our lives. Finally, this book helps us to take sin seriously. As explained in the book, our culture seems to brush sin aside with ease. Respectable Sins will help us realize the malignancy of sin.

Respectable Sins is the type of book to keep close by and pull out when you are dealing with a specific sin and need help. It will direct your attention to Christ and offer Biblical ways to confront your respectable sins.

Kept

2009-07-15T10:07:00.002-04:00

Not too long ago, after taking a little vacation, I told David that I could get used to being a "kept woman". Now I didn't mean that I desired to be someone's mistress, I meant that I could get use to not having to work everyday. David's reply to that remark was "Mom, you are kept!"

I should get to the point. . . I hadn't thought much about that comment until this morning when a friend sent an email to me about a kept woman. My son is so wise beyond his years. . .

I Am a 'Kept ' Woman

You see, there were a few times when I thought I would lose my mind,
But GOD kept me sane. (Isa. 26:3)

There were times when I thought I could go no longer,
But the LORD kept me moving. (Gen 28:15)

At times, I've wanted to lash out at those whom I felt had done me wrong,
But the LORD kept my mouth shut.. (Psa. 13)

Sometimes, I think the money just isn't enough,
But GOD has helped me to keep the lights on, the water on, the car paid, the house paid, etc.., (Matt. 6:25 -34)

When I thought I would fall, HE kept me up.
When I thought I was weak, HE kept me strong! (I Pet. 5:7, Matt. 11:28-30)

I could go on and on and on, but I'm sure you hear me!
I'm blessed to be 'kept '

I'm "Kept" by the Love and Grace of God

Scenery in Tennessee

2009-07-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

She's Back

2009-07-13T22:45:00.003-04:00

Angela got back on Friday night from a week in Milligan, TN. She went with the Methodist Youth Group on a mission trip sponsored by Know Sweat. While there they spent the week using their hands and feet to demonstrate God’s love for people in practical ways through service projects. These projects consist of community service, assisting ministries with outreach as well as home repair and maintenance for individuals. She loved every minute of the trip. I'm so glad to see her developing a love for missions.

On the Levee

2009-07-13T21:28:00.003-04:00

Peacemaker not Peace-lover

2009-07-09T13:20:00.005-04:00

"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called sons of God."
~ Matthew 5:9

Jesus desires each of us to be peacemakers. Unfortunately, we live in a day when hostilities, disagreements, dissensions, and suspicions are the rule of the day rather than the exception. Jesus promises happiness to those who strive to restore relationships by calming the troubled waters of human conflict. Where is this promise of happiness found? It is among the greatest imaginable - - to be called sons of God. One of the most obvious characteristics of a Spirit-filled person is that they are peacemakers. Sadly, there all too many "Christians" who are "troublemakers" rather than "peacemakers."

In studying this beatitude I found that it has as its foundation the six previous ones. We can't be effective peacemakers until we admit our spiritual poverty, grieve over our sin, submit to God's control, hunger and thirst after righteousness, show mercy and become pure in heart. Peacemakers enjoy an indescribable peace with God. Our need to make peace with God doesn't mean that God is angry with us or that he is unwilling to interact with us. In fact, it's just the opposite. God desires to have a relationship with us. The only barrier between us and God is our sin and willful unbelief and disobedience.

I've thought of several people that I view as peacemakers. As I've thought about these individuals the common characteristic that I see is that they have an inner peace with themselves. We must begin with ourselves to become peacemakers. I remember as a child my mom telling me that if I didn't love myself nobody else would. Now I never took that advice to mean that I should think highly of myself, but I did understand her to be saying if we constantly are at war within ourselves then we will always be at war with others. Ever think about those who are always at odds with fellow workers, family, and friends? I think there are fighting a battle within themselves. When there is a pattern of saying hurtful words, whether true or false, it is obvious to everyone around that we are not at peace with ourselves. Not too long ago a pastor's wife told me, "hurting people say hurtful things." Jesus has promised to give us peace (John 14:27).

Not only are peacemakers at peace with themselves, they are also at peace with others. We must recognize that ending overt hositility and absence of conflict is not necessarily peace. Two people may cease saying unkind things to one another, but retreat into long periods of bitterness and angry silence instead. They are neither friends, nor at peace. They simply refuse to communicate or associate with one another. Peace is a positive thing. It is wholesome relationships from which constant goodwill is produced. Peacemakers reach out - - they take the initiative. Their concern is not who is to blame, but how can peace be attained or restored. They are not faultfinders or criticizers - - they are healers. They are the sons of God.

Anyone can love peace, but Jesus didn't say, 'Blessed are the peace-lover.' He says peacemakers. It's a life vocation, not a hobby on the sidelines.

Lake Pictures

2009-07-04T22:09:00.004-04:00

In God We Trust

2009-07-04T08:36:00.000-04:00

“...The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ ”
– Benjamin Franklin

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
–Thomas Jefferson

"As Iron Sharpens Iron, So a Man Sharpens the Countenance of His Friend"

2009-07-02T10:12:00.005-04:00

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a hand of a faithful friend will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness blow the rest away." - - George Elliott

I leave this afternoon to spend two nights with two very dear girlfriends at the Lake. I'm looking forward to the sweet fellowship that we will have. I think what I treasure most about these two sweet ladies is that our friendship is based on respect, brotherly love and friendship love. Here are some qualities along with related Scripture that describe these beautiful ladies:

We can "let our hair down" around each other. We feel safe and comfortable with each other. There is no need for pretences. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." ~ Ephesians 4:32
We trust one another completely. We keep each others best interest uppermost in our values. We do not betray things that have been shared in confidence. "A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret." ~ Proverbs 11:13
We share our innermost fears, anxieties, burdens, insecurities and questions. "Carry each other burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." ~ Galatians 6:2
We are honest with each other even if it hurts - even if it wounds our pride. If one of us is going down a dangerous path we will not hesitate to sound a loving but firm warning. "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" ~ Proverbs 27:6
We take personal responsibility for the relationship and will not allow it to deteriorate even in the aftermath of heated disagreements. Until the air is cleared and the relationship is restored we will not rest. "First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." ~ Matthew 5:24
We encourage one another, not find faults. We build each other up and never attempt to put the other person down. "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." ~ Hebrews 3:13
We are faithful prayer partners. We intercede on behalf of each other. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." ~ James 5:16

God has placed these two women (among others) in my life and they are one of the greatest gifts I could receive. I pray that I am wise to nurture the friendship we have and never do anything to threaten our relationship.

The Greatness of His Might

2009-07-01T16:07:00.004-04:00

Dragonflies and Butterflies

2009-06-27T21:50:00.005-04:00

I waded in the river bed and watched the ripples gleam,

And stood with arms outstretched and my feet submersed in the stream.

An upward glance revealed the sun above the cliffs and trees,

Its golden warm caresses only broken by the breeze.

I closed my eyes and reveled in the whooping of a hawk,

While wond’ring what its call might mean if it could truly talk,

When fluttering past my lashes and then twice around my head,

An iridescent dragonfly consumed my thoughts instead.

My eyelids sprung wide open and I instantly could see

Its dainty body hover, then decide to land on me.

Photo Shoot with Pres

2009-06-26T22:03:00.003-04:00

After work this afternoon I had the pleasure of babysitting for my friend, Michele. Her daughter is precious and very photogenic. Angela and I had fun taking pictures and playing with her at the lake and at the city park. Before returning Presley to her mom we stopped by CVS to print the pictures for her. (Click to enlarge)