Poll Results #0305

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Question: How do you feel
about Polls in America?
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Responses:
I think we are over polled..... 53%
I don't think we are polled enough..... 22%
I could care less & never take any..... 24%

This poll has a 1% error

Breakdown of Data Concerning Gender
69% of voters were female
31% of voters were male

Breakdown of Data Concerning Ethnicity
61% of voters were lighties
37% of voters were darkies
2% of voters were swirlies

Breakdown of Data Concerning

Various Points of Interest
91% of voters voted online via a computer terminal
8% of voters voted online via a phone connection
1% of voters were from undetermined locations
Polling officially closed 12:00 am cst Friday, June 29
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Author: Aprelle Coleman
Aprelle's Comments

What an interesting poll this has turned out to

be with so much useful information. We saw

a huge increase in female voters- apparently due

to the topic of the actual poll- giving opinions.

This poll also gave us the smallest percent of

online voters who were actually using a computer

terminal so far. We have seen a huge jump in online

viewing by phone and expect to see more after the

iphone has been released. On a personal note,

I wanted to let all my fans know that I will be going

on an extended leave for the month of

July. I will chat with all of you soon.
Hugs! xoxoxo
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Camp Meeting & Other Things...

Now that I have successfully slept in and am starting the road to recovery, I decided to take a few minutes and blog about camp meeting and camp.

If you live in the Texas District Camp Meeting time is always a great time. Although the water in Lufkin is absolutely horrible, although the humidity terrible, and although the city itself seems to have been built with no thought for future development, Lufkin is a city that holds a certain place in our hearts.

I was only able to be in service for three nights. All of these nights were incredible. Wednesday night we were in service with David and the rest of the boys from the Lighthouse Ranch. It was such a special time to get to pray together around the altar as a family. I have missed it so.

Thursday and Friday were both nights that I felt spoke to me directly. I went to camp meeting needing something- expecting something- and God did not let me down. He gave me so much in those services.

I came home for the weekend and had an incredible time on Sunday with our new Pastor: Rev. Gene and Sis. Karla Holley, Jr. Sunday night God moved in an incredible way. Afterward, Bro. Holley got up in front of the church and talked to us directly.

Monday found us back in Lufkin for Crusader Camp. Crusader Camp is our camp for the eight to eleven year olds. It is always a time of fun and excitement. This year we had about 576 campers at the camp grounds.

Every year I am always so proud of our kids from Life Tabernacle. This year was no different. We had six kids from our church promoted to ‘captain’ and receive a medal for memorizing scripture. Kelsey, a young girl from our church, was also nominated with five other girls, as the girl camper of the year. All of our Crusader Campers deserve a big pat on the back for being incredible kids!

Friday night of Crusader Camp was incredible. That evening in the service a second grade teacher, who was working as a matron, gave a testimony of how a second grader in her class had won her to the Lord. Her and her husband just appeared before the Texas District to become licensed ministers with the UPCI.

After hearing her testimony of what God can do through even the smallest child we had children crying in their pews and several of them started heading to the altar. We had no preaching that evening- God spoke directly to us through her testimony.

We came home on Friday afternoon and I was up early on Saturday to test for my additional certification at Midwestern State. I will not receive the results until sometime in July. Going into Sunday I was drained- totally.

It is amazing how God works; I have always found that whenever you drain yourself by working in the Kingdom, God miraculously ‘fills’ you back up.

Sunday morning was a great time in service. Sunday evening, as we were worshiping around the front of the church, and as I was feeling completely exhausted, suddenly a refreshing wave of the Holy Ghost hit. In that instant I felt as if my cup ‘ran over’. We heard a great message about the ‘harvest’ and God moved in a mighty way afterward. I am excited… God is doing great things in Wichita Falls!

Introducing...

Today we are bidding a 'fond farewell' to a section that has been a Dialogue staple for the last three years: Phone Photos.

Phone Photos have been a collection of 'caption less' pictures that were uploaded from my trusty phone. These pictures were random and just a small glimpse into the everyday sights of my world. As of today they will no longer be featured on The Dialogue.

This section will be replaced; however, for the next several weeks The Dialogue will be presenting humor-filled motivational sayings in place of the old Phone Photos. We hope you will enjoy!

A Monday Update

Today I just felt like giving you a Monday update.

Sweeps Week: Thanks to all of you who visited during 'Sweeps Week.' It was a smashing success.

Sunday: We had the Greg Henry family with us in service on Sunday and the messages were incredible. Both services seemed aimed at preparing us for what is about to happen in the future of Life Tabernacle.

On Sunday night everyone gathered around the front as Bro. Henry gave a word of Prophecy to the church. He had all of the ministry leaders, musicians, singers, church workers, speak forth a word of prophecy of what they wanted to see happen. We stood at the front of the church speaking out and claiming what we ARE going to see.

All too often, as Apostolics, we get so afraid of that particular gift: 'prophecy'. I sometimes wonder if God wouldn't do more if we would speak boldly in His name as if things had already come to pass.

I am expecting, with all of my heart and in faith, the greatest service of my lifetime next Sunday. I don't know what will happen, but that hasn't stopped me from trying to think about it. Will God's presence fill the Tabernacle is such a way that we will not even be able to stand? Will we have a Holy Ghost outpouring? Will we feel walls and barriers crack and crumble at our feet? I do know that I, and many others, are absolutely focused on next Sunday. It will be greater than I can imagine.

Camp: Today Brandon and I are cleaning the house and packing for camp. We will be leaving for Camp Meeting on Wednesday morning. David will be there on Wednesday night and all of use, Brandon and I; Jason and Julie, will all be there together. I can't wait. Few things are as special as being in church with your family and enjoying time around the altar together.

After Camp Meeting, Brandon will be spending the week with Jason and Julie while I work Crusader Camp. I am so very excited about Crusader Camp. Last year was the first year I didn't get to go since I have started volunteering at camps.

I will pick Brandon up from Dallas after Crusader Camp and we will both be home for one week before heading back to Lufkin again. Brandon will be attending Camp and I will be helping Julie with the Music at senior Camp that week. After Senior Camp, Brandon will go to Dallas for the month of July... and I will get a much, much needed break.

Saturday, June 21: In between all of the camps, I will be trying to sneak off by myself as often as possible to study special education law and the changes that have taken place since I received my degree. Why? I am attempting to add another certification onto my degree for SE EC-12. These tests are absolutely draining and usually take me around four or five hours to complete. The only time that would have been possible for me to test would have been in between all of the camps. If you happen to think about it, I would appreciate prayer.

Well, that concludes this Monday's update. We will be so busy, and things moving so fast, I will probably not be blogging again until after the 21, or maybe not even until July starts.

I hope you have a great next few weeks. Be in prayer for Life Tabernacle and be in prayer for the saints in Pflugerville, who have so generously loved our new pastor until God's timing was fulfilled.

6th Grade in Review

My second set of 'kids' are at school. I am a sixth grade Math teacher at a school here in Wichita Falls. When I decided to go into teaching I never thought I would teach 12 year olds- let alone, Math (I hated Math in school!). I was wrong on both counts.

I enjoy the age... still wanting to be kids, but also wanting to be treated like they are mature. They can handle responsibility, but are not too old to still have fun. And... I enjoy the subject.

I enjoy it because I hated it when I was in school. I enjoy teaching math in the context of everyday life. I find it challenging making the subject enjoyable for everyone.

When we learn about problem solving we make sure and spend a fair amount of time actually solving problems. When learning about measurement we make sure and work in projects that require us to measure and calculate the distance of our box cars or even cook something on the mobile cooking cart. After learning about unit rates and proportional situations we take a trip to the supermarket to experience it first hand.

In sixth grade a beginning understanding of algebra is so important, as well as an understanding of calculating and working with more difficult geometric shapes and ideas, that we dedicate a whole day to the concept of 'pi' (3.14...) with all of the sixth graders become 'teachers' at different stations where we invite the whole school to come, hear us teach, and learn about it with us.

Today's slide has pictures of our learning this year in sixth grade math: Proof that most teachers do not 'teach to the test' as so many parents would complain that they do. In fact, my personal response to that statement is this; "I don't teach to the Test. I teach the required state curriculum. The Test just happens to assess what I teach."

Enjoy.
(P.S. for some reason the slide show kept deleting all my captions- sorry!)

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Life Tabernacle Kids

I am very blessed; not only do I get to work with children at school, but I also get to work with them at church. I believe, with all of my heart, that the church should do everything within its power to help support and strengthen what goes on in the home. Hillary Clinton is credited with saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I disagree. It takes a church.

My passion is to do everything possible to strengthen and support the Godly teachings that are taking place in the homes and lives of the children at Life Tabernacle. I want every child to grow up with a reservoir of memories that are filled with laughter and joy around the church house.

I work with children so I will not be there when they face their toughest battles. I will not see them when they finally decide for themselves to live for God. Just maybe, there is something that I can say, something that I can do, or a memory I can provide at a time when it was needed most that will help them when they face those battles or make that decision. As long as I am here, I never want it to be said that there was never enough love, laughter, or teaching to get into young hearts and give them a passion for living for God.

Today’s slide has pics of LifeSavers, our services and our fieldtrips. We also have pics of our Children’s Revival, Vacation Bible School, C.I.A., and even some Sunday School shots.

Enjoy!

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Changing of the Guard

A few weeks ago- it seems a whole lot longer- our Pastor resigned after being voted in as the Secretary of the Texas District (Yes, our Pastor was that great of a man).

Tonight, we vote for a new pastor. I have heard so many things about what can happen to churches when the pastor resigns and a new one is selected. I have even heard that in our own church history- long before Pastor Elms- that it was not the best process either.

As we prepare to vote this evening, I must say that our church has done wonderful. You always will have individuals who suddenly feel the need to try and control things and tell others what to do in the absence of a definitive leader; however, for the most part, their heads have not swollen so large that they have floated away.

There have been no major ‘splits’, divisive factions, or cancerous speech that has threatened to divide the unity that we have enjoyed for so many years. I can truly say- in spite of those ridiculous few who are old enough to know better- our church is healthy and thankfully still unified!

I believe the fact that we have come through this ordeal with our unity still in tact is a testament to our previous pastor, as Bro. Russo, our District Superintendent, said it would be.

I am very excited for Life Tabernacle and the future that lies ahead for her. I am also excited for the many ways that God will bless the Texas District through the leadership of Bishop Elms and his wife.

The slide today is full of pictures of Bishop Elms’ last message, the going away service, and the church dinner afterward.

Enjoy!

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Medieval San Antonio

I only have one relative on my Dad’s side of the family that lives here in Texas. We try to get down to San Antonio and see them at least once a summer. Last summer I had a conference to attend in San Antonio so I took David & Brandon, loaded up the van, and headed down to see family and enjoy ourselves.

We had a great time. The pics are of an afternoon spent with my two younger cousins, Tyler and Ryan. I don’t get to see them very often so when I do I make every point to take at least one afternoon and try to make a memory.

It can be something as simple as going to the store and buying cookies and milk so that we can bake them back at the house. This time, it was visiting the Alamo, watching an IMAX film, and eating at a two story McDonald’s. Just something simple to make memories- a little trait I picked up from my mother.

The second half of the slideshow is our family trip to Medieval Times. It was just Jason, Julie, David, Brandon and I, but we had lots of fun.

Enjoy!

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The 'foot-hills'

In February of this year we loaded up the van and headed to the Wichita Mountains.

For those of you who don’t know, the Wichita Mountains are actually the ‘foot-hills’ of the Rockies. They pop up just north of Wichita and dive back into the landscape through the pan-handle of Texas. The Great Plans Museum, in Canyon Texas, has a neat display that actually shows the Mountain chain as it dives into the earth and resurfaces again. (They also have a rather cool old car display that almost got me landed in jail… but that is another story… and another slide! LOL)

It was a day when we some of us were off of work, life had been kinda’ hectic, and we all just needed to ‘get away.’ Cosme, Lynn & Kim, David & Brandon, and myself; all loaded up around 10:00 and spent the day just walking around, relaxing, and eating ‘small town’ style. It was a memory captured in pictures…

Enjoy!

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A Family Weekend

This past weekend Jason and Julie were able to come up and visit. It was so nice to have them here. They came in on Friday night and stayed through late Monday evening.

With all of us being so involved in our church- and especially since Julie is the Music Minister at First UPC of Euless- it is so hard for us to be in service together. Having them with us all day on Sunday was an extra special blessing for me. Thank you First UPC for letting them 'get away.'

I took several pictures from our weekend. I hope you enjoy them. We spent all day at the pool on Saturday- and you will be able to tell from some of the pictures. On Sunday we had a good time together in church. We spent all day Monday enjoying each others company at the Sheppard AFB Flight Museum and the Kemp Center for the Arts.

Enjoy!

(If you want to know about sweeps week, read below...)

Sweeps Week!

There are some who thought that the 'it' that was coming was summer vacation- NOT. Instead... it is something much better.

We here at The Dialogue have noticed a 'slump' in blogging hits. To combat this epidemic, we are introducing the world of blogging to its very first 'sweeps week.' What is a 'sweeps week'?

A Sweeps Week is something similar to what you might find in television where different stations attempt to 'sweep' the audience away from competing stations to boost viewership. In the blogging world, we will dedicate one week to boosting our hits. How will we do this?

To initiate our first ever sweeps week, The Dialogue is dedicated to publishing a brand new slideshow EACH day this week! That's right... each day will be a brand new slideshow featured here on The Dialogue. No matter what your plans are this week... you will want to tune in everyday to see a brand new show just for you!

Kick off your summer with a daily dose of The Dialogue!