More Photos of Graduation

David and Abi waiting in the cafeteria before graduation.
David, Abi and Chris
David and Angela after graduation
Abi and David after graduation




David showing off his diploma after graduation

Dinner with Family and Friends

Last night before graduation we enjoyed a meal at Sonny's with our family and friends. Among those there were David's dad and his girlfriend, Becky,Lawrence and Donna Worth, Elgin Shore, Brian, Katherine and Nathan, George and Grace Thall, Tommy McClusky, David's Uncle Robert, David's Uncle Andy, Aunt Fredia, Angela, Cheyenne, and myself. The Gutshall's came by for a little while but didn't eat with us. This gave David the opportunity to visit with family and friends prior to graduation. As I looked around the table I thought of how each person at the table had somehow influenced David's life.


We are so happy that some of our family was able to travel from Tallahasee for this special moment in his life. David has been blessed to have the support of his family and friends and we know that they will continue to pray for and encourage him.



Mrs. Worth sharing some words of wisdom
Ms. Katherine, Nathan, Ms. Grace and George
Angela, Alan (their father), David and Becky
Aunt Fredia, Uncle Robert, Angela, Uncle Andy, David and Mom

We Did It!

I now present to you a graduate of the class of 2007!

Friday Feast

Appetizer:
List 3 emotions you experienced this week.
It's been a week full of various emotions. The three that come to mind are joy, pride, and fatigue. That joy comes from seeing David completing school and embarking in the next phase of his life and just the fact the God has given me the privelege of raising David & Angela. Pride comes from the accomplishments David has attained. As well as being proud of both David and Angela. Fatigue from all the pre-graduation festivities on top of a normal week.

Soup:
Name a car you’d love to have.
I've always wanted a pick up truck. However, I am content with my mini van.

Salad:
Describe your typical morning routine.
Brush my teeth, drink a cup of coffee, smoke a cigarette while checking my e-mail, wake David and Angela up, shower and dress for work. Take Angela to school. Stop at Common Grounds Coffee Shop for more coffee before going to work.

Main Course:
Have you ever emailed someone famous? If so, who, and what did you say to them? Did they reply?
I don't know anyone who is famous.

Dessert:
Do you listen to podcasts? If so, which ones?
I don't listen to podcasts.

Baccalaurete Service

It's been a busy week with Pre-Graduation festivities. Tonight was Baccalaurete Service for the Class of 2007. This year's service was hosted by New Harvest Church and they did an excellent job of hosting.

It has also been a tearful week for mom. Last night at Class night I got teary eyed as David was presented with the Dan McCarthy Scholarship and talking with parents of his classmates. Earlier this week I got emotional as I read David's blog post about his father coming for graduation. Then tonight again as I tied his tie for the first time. Yes, I actually got it right but only after watching an instruction video off the internet on how to tie one. Tonight at the service as Marci from the Methodist Church sang "The River" by Garth Brooks I got teary eyed again (David use to imitate Garth when he was 3 & 4 years old) . Not to mention seeing the Class of 2007 in their cap and gowns for the first time.

Two of David's classmates, Chantelle Steele and Reggie Gray, sang specials as well at Baccalaurete. The Ministerial Association Scholarship was awarded tonight to Alton Edmons as well as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Scholarship to David Fountain. New Harvest had a drawing for prizes (2 gift certificates, 2 ipod shuffles, and 2 televisions) for the graduates.

Pastor John Hicks from the Methodist Church brought the message tonight from Romans 8:28. Since this particular verse is one of David's favorites it was special. Not to mention that we are currently studying Romans on Wednesday nights at our church.

Following the service David wanted to go hang out with Tommy and Debbie. He's been busy every night and hasn't had the opporunity to just hang out with friends. Prior to the service I had taken some pictures of David in his cap and gown along with other snapshots of his classmates. But somehow they got deleted. I did manage to get home with some from the service.

Class of 2007

Jimmy Pittman speaks prior to announcing the FCA Scholarship receipent

Pastor John Hicks

2007 Class Night

Tonight was 2007 Class Night at Clewiston High School. Graduates were presented with Academic Awards, Scholarships (Academic and Community). It was a proud night for parents and graduates as we witnessed the various achievements of these young men and women. Many of whom we have known throughout the years and have watched mature into the fine gentlemen and ladies they are today.

David received two awards tonight. The Academic Achievement Award for obtaining a grade point average of 3.0 or above. The Bright Futures Medallion Scholarship . He also received the Dan McCarthy Scholarship (valued at $8,000) from the Lions Club.

Tonight Angela and I sat beside the parents of a friend of David's, Kristin Way. They have been in school together since we moved here in 1996. Her mom is a teacher at the Elementary School that David attended. Kristin's dad and I talked prior to the program about the many field trips that we chaperoned when they were younger. It was fun reminiscing about those times and realizing that now they are about to embark into a new journey in their lives.

David and Angela before entering the program

David, myself and Tuesday Tritt, President of Lions Club, with his scholarship award

Spring Fever

I know I should be working. . . but I keep thinking how I would love to be sitting on a beach right now with a book in my hand and a cool drink by my side just relaxing. Every year about this time I begin to have "spring fever" and I want to be outside enjoying the sunshine instead of in an office.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer:
Tell about a time when you had to be brave. Eleven years ago when I moved to Clewiston and became a single mom. Not knowing then how I would do it on my own.

Soup:
Which upcoming movie are you excited about seeing? Fracture (Anthony Hopkins) and Amazing Grace (when it comes out on DVD).

Salad:
Name an item you try to always have on hand. Coffee, I love my coffee.

Main Course:
Imagine the most relaxing room you can think of. Now describe it! A room with a view in the mountains with comfy chair or sofa with candles burning and the lights dimmed.

Dessert:
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest), how spiritual or religious are you? I wish I could say a 10 because that is where I desire to be, but I am a sinner saved by grace. So I am going to say a 7 or 8.

Did You Get a Haircut?

I couldn't stand the long hair any longer, so today I went and had Julie cut it off. At first I wasn't sure what I wanted her to do, but as always she had the answer. . . "Cut it short." This is the longest I've ever gone with longer hair and it feels so good to have it short again. I've had different comments ranging from "I can't believe you cut it" to "I love it." Now that it's short again I feel much better. It's amazing what a haircut can do to make us feel better.

Full Sail Tour Concluded

Our tour of the Full Sail campus began on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. David was excited to have the opportunity to go into the different areas of the school and the main building for show production and touring. Angela and I were unfamiliar with all of the technology that we were surrounded by, yet amazed the people actually know how to operate the equipment.

Full Sail is a nice campus although small in comparison to other ones. David & I were both pleased to learn that show production and touring is kept to a small classroom size. They explained to us that show production and touring students go to school on a 24/7 schedule, learning to sleep in 4 hour blocks. They do this in order to keep lecture classrooms to a 32 to 1 ratio and the labs (where they do hands on) at a 6 to 1 ratio. David wasn't to keen on the idea of sleeping in 4 hour blocks, but I think he can handle if he sets his mind to it.

Another bonus, according to David, is the Project LaunchBox that provides all incoming students with a MacBook Pro notebook loaded with software. It will allow them access to their portfolios anywhere they are.

We all enjoyed the tour and I think David would enjoy being at this school for 13 months considering the passion he has for this field. Now it's just a matter of figuring out the financial end of things.

This picture is actually the Show Production and Touring building. It's across the street from the main campus.

Full Sail Tour Continued

As I mentioned in the previous post, we were ready to relax after looking at apartments. However, since David doesn't own a pair of black dress pants (he has to have them for graduation) we needed to purchase a pair. Since we live an hour away from a mall we decided to purchase them while in Orlando. We found a shopping center nearby and enjoyed window shopping after we purchased the pants. We happened to find a Barnes & Nobles and decided to go in for drinks and a coffee. The coffee hit the spot and to my delight I even pick up a copy of the book Amazing Grace. I have been wanting to see it in movie form, but the book will be just as good.

After we left the shopping mall we headed back to the hotel where David and I went swimming while I started on my book. Later in the evening we went to Olive Garden for dinner and then to Boardwalk Bowl. We bowled for an hour and then played on game of glow in the dark mini golf. I bowl about as well as I golf. Very poorly. The first game I bowled a sixty two, Angela an eighty and David won with 105. The next game was even worse for me. I managed to bowl 5 gutter balls in a row, ending up with a 52. Angela improved with an 85 and David continued to dominate with a 90. The golf game was fun but like I said I'm not good at either one. My golf score on 9 holes 35. Angela scored 35 as well and David won again with 27.

We enjoyed being together just the three of us and laughing at each other. I think this was my favorite part of the trip. It was on the way back to the hotel that I thought about when David is college we won't have those opportunities as often and made me wish we had done more of these kind of things.

Apartment Search

We are spending the weekend in Winter Park, Florida looking at apartments and attending the Full Sail Tour. Today we looked at 5 apartment complexes near Full Sail. We actually had a list of 8 apartments that we wanted to look at but after looking at 5 of them, we were ready to head back to the hotel to swim and relax before going to dinner and bowling. Our favorite apartment so far is University Walk. It is located two blocks away from Full Sail and has an individual lease agreement. The individual lease agreement allows you to lease a 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment for $598 per month. This way if your room mate bails on you, you are only responsible for your lease agreement. The other options for the same size apartment without the individual lease agreement is $980 per month. These apartments also come furnished or unfurnished. The one we got to look at was furnished.

Along with University Walk we also looked at other apartments ranging from $780 per month up to $990 per month with no individual lease agreements. University Walk also has Chick A Fil, Cosco, Target, Burger King, gas stations, and Sonny's all within a block of each other.

We will think more seriously on the apartment front once we figure out the financial aide and student loans. We will have the opportunity to find out all this tomorrow during our tour at Full Sail.

Friday's Feast

Appetizer:

Name something you would not want to own. The first thing that pops into my head is a snake. I'm sure there are other things, but this is top on my list.

Soup:

Describe your hair (texture, color, length, etc.). Since I just colored it Monday it is now a dark brown (which I am not happy with), but it is naturally light brown with lots of gray. I have let it go out and it's down to my collar. The texture is coarse.

Salad:

Finish this sentence: I’ll never forget the day David and Angela were born and how I felt the first time I held them in my arms.

Main Course:

Which famous person would you like to be for one day? Why? I'm happy being myself. But I desire to be more Christ like. Why? To glorify God.

Dessert:

Write one sentence about yourself that includes one thing that is true and another thing that is not. (True statement)I have been saved bygrace through faith and not from myself, but it is a gift of God. (False statement) I am not nervous about David leaving home.

Relationships

One-sided relationships are painful. You are the one that calls just to see how their day is going, but never receive one in return. You send cards, but never get them. You attempt to set dates to get together, but there is always an excuse why they can't.

It’s relationships like these that make you realize how empty everything is without the heart, without mutual affection. In a one-sided relationship you begin to realize that you are the only one reaching out, that nobody is reaching out for you. The other person is just going through the motions to fulfill some sense of obligation, and you feel they would prefer that you left them alone. It’s not a fulfilling relationship, it’s a one-sided affair, and you feel like a rejected fool.

I imagine that this is how God feels with us sometimes. He reaches out to embrace us, but we don’t embrace him in return. He tries to walk with us, but we hold his hand stiffly, fulfilling a duty instead of enjoying a tender touch. We go through the motions, acting like we belong to God, while our hearts are far away. We never reach for him. Sometimes we would prefer he weren’t in our life so we could be free to do the things we really want to do. We claim to be with God, but he knows that we have rejected him.

One-sided relationships are painful for both of the parties involved. The real joy comes in giving yourself body and soul to one who loves you in return. God doesn’t want us to just act like we are with him, he wants our hearts, our passions, our sincere love. That’s the kind of relationship that will last through the ages.

Appetizer:

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

Soup:

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

Salad:

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

Main Course:

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

Dessert:

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

Studying Romans

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

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

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

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


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


3. The main message in Romans is the Gospel.


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

Thought Provoking

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

Adventure Golf

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

Friday Feast

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

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

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

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

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

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

No Ice Cream Wednesday

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

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

Happy Birthday Diana!

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

A Movie, Dinner and Good Company

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

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

Thanks for a wonderful weekend!

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

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

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

Photo Shoot

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

Before leaving the engagement party

By the pool at Okeechobbee Landings

Angela & I

The City Park Easter Bunny gets a hug

Mom and the Easter Bunny

At the Levee on Lake Okeechobbee

City Park

My two tree huggers

Thanks Mom, that was fun

Engagement Party

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

Jason & Jessica

Cheyenne, Angela & Sally

Nathan ready to hunt Easter Eggs

Our table full of Baptists

Adeline and Angela

Greatness of My God

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: Relationships: A Mess Worth Making

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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