An Article Worth Repeating...

A lady after my own cold and frozen January heart...

End Your Lying, Boldly Declare: 'I Hate Winter'

If there's one thing I hate, it's those perky fresh-faced freaks telling me how much they just love winter.

"The snow, the cold, bundling all up for a brisk walk in that beautiful sparkling air. It's so refreshing!" they say.

It stinks. Having surgery is more fun than winter. Pick a ward, any ward. They cover you up with one of those nice heated blankets, give you drugs. You lie around, watch Jerry Springer, get a big thrill out of having your first post-op movement.

You've got something positive to think about -- your repair -- and a brighter future to look forward to. Nurses pamper you, friends bring chocolates, and each day of healing brings improvement. So... wherever you are, whatever you're doing right now, dig deep for the courage to finally be heard, stand and deliver your message!

The relief and the freedom you'll feel will astound you.

Besides, I really believe those people who claim to love winter are lying, self-deluded, in denial, or just seriously in need of professional help.

Really, what's to like? I love my yard, but right now, like most of you, I'm only using about 5% of it, and I have to shovel to get at it.

By:Laurie Mustard

This article has been 'modified' for length and slight censorship. The Author was very descriptive in her disdain for winter.

Two Birds, One Stone

Bird Number 1: Many people, just a few actually, have commented on the dislike of my Hairspray Music slide show. I must say, I LOVE IT! It is really groovy- in fact, just about the whole disk is groovy. Nevertheless, I am posting so that it will drop the Hairspray slide off of my page and the few MINORITY will not be kept from visiting my site. :0)

Bird Number 2: I recently found out (as of today) that I command a whole $135.00 an hour for professional development classes. I taught a workshop at the beginning of the school year titled "Graphing Technology Within the Sixth Grade Math Classroom" and have been asked to teach this same workshop next week. I will also be teaching a session titled "Brainbased Strategies: Music as a Mathematics Motivator" the same day. In all, the sessions will last three hours and I will make $400.00. Not too much... but it is rather early in my career. :o)

The Stone: Now I have a recent post.

Life Tabernacle is on the Advance

I was going to post a slideshow (Aprelle tells me that blog slide shows are ranking high in her new poll) on my blog this evening of the trip I took to the Wichita Mountains with a few friends. I will save that and post it later.

Instead, I want to blog about this evening’s service. A friend of mine, a young man I grew up with, Andrew Elms, ministered. He was anointed.

I have noticed in the last several years that it is a joy to grow up in the church and watch as people you grew up with are used of God and anointed by Him in the work of His Kingdom. I enjoy when Bro. Andrew preaches for many reasons including this one. It is a true blessing to watch people be used of God.

Tonight Bro. Andrew read all of Hebrews chapter 11 and part of chapter 12. For the last few years in my life Hebrews chapter 11 has become a part of the Bible very dear to me. I have used it to sharpen my spirit on a number of occasions. His message was very simply ‘keep on keeping on,’ and challenging the church to just an 8% growth this year.

For the last few weeks I have been in a fog for a new theme for Lifesavers and Vacation Bible School (Believe it or not, I really do have to start thinking about it this early in the year). After Bro. Elms message to the church about going ‘inward, outward, upward,’ I knew the ‘feeling’ I wanted but I just couldn’t place it.

It was as if my direction for the year was hanging somewhere just beyond my grasp. Ever had that happen? I just couldn’t put my finger on it. I knew what I felt, I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know what it was (confusing, I know).

Tonight, before Bro. Andrew started, I asked God to let me be like a gold digger, sifting through the sand for one small nugget of something that could give me what I needed. I remembered the Samaritan woman and asked for just a crumb. Then conviction set in. I am not a Samaritan. I may not be prefect, but I am a child of the King.

Isn’t it just like us to ask God for some ‘little’ thing instead of what we really need or want? Why is that? Why do we sometime underestimate or under-request our God?

I repented right then and told God to forget everything I had just asked. I told Him instead to feed me. I told Him I wanted a big portion- whatever He had. I wanted it all. I told Him to give me not just a nugget but to fill me. LOL

He did. Not only was I encouraged and challenged but I believe God spoke to me and in the middle of His message, the one Bro. Andrew preached, He gave me a theme for our Children’s Ministry this year.

I am so excited about 2008. I am so thankful and appreciative of the opportunity to be used of God. I want to do all I can. I don’t want to ever forget what a blessing it is to be in a position where you are entrusted with affecting the Kingdom of God.

I owe my church everything. All of my life people have poured themselves into me, to help mold and shape. I have the opportunity to pour back. Thank you Jesus!

IOU in 2008

It's official. Life Tabernacle has a new theme for 2008.

Inward. Outward. Upward.

Usually we hear the year's theme Sometime close to the New Year, and although we are only 9 days into the New Year (Happy Birthday to my Black Brother!), it seems like we have waited at little longer this year. Maybe it is just because we anticipate it so much? I know I do.

As a ministry leader I always want to tailor our own 'ministry' theme to that of the church as a whole. We took last year's theme, "Through Christ I Can", and for Lifesavers made it "Through Christ I Can Be... Saved/A Witness/A Soul winner/An Overcommer", a different topic for each month. I can't wait to let this new theme roll around in my head a little longer!

As I was sitting in service this evening I kept thinking how our new theme felt similar to walking outside and taking a deep breathe of something cool and refreshing. It felt electric. Maybe I just personally need to feel that way? Who knows? What I do know, is this year's theme feels forward moving.

Inward. Outward. Upward.

It sounds sure. It sounds forceful and precise. It just seems to fit really well. This is going to be a great year, and I am so excited about everything that is going to take place.

The NEW 605 Fillmore

So many people have asked about my mother's house and how the remodeling went. Well, we are just about finished. We have a carpet that needs to be adjusted and then we will be able to put it on the market.

The entire house was given a new roof and many needed touches. Because we found a beautiful hardwood floor under my parent's old carpet we decided to stay with the natural wood color scheme throughout the house. Our tile and trim were all picked to flow with natural colors in all rooms.

Know anyone looking for a house? It has a pool! (Hope you like the slideshow- Hairspray was a fun movie and the funnest slide they had. I kept the music to give it some excitement! I am really enjoying this slideshow thing :O)

And so it begins...

Tonight marks the night the 2008 Presidential Election officially kicked off with the Iowa Caucus. For those of you who are not politically knowledgeable, a Caucus is a weird form of nominating process followed by only a portion of the states in the Union. Not all states have them; the state of Texas has Primaries (for all intent and purpose they accomplish the same thing).

The Iowa Caucus is the first place in the country where candidates are basically 'nominated' to run as their party's choice for President. Tonight, the results where nothing short of historic.

The Republican win was given to Mike Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, and the Democratic win was given to Barack Hussein Obama, a black candidate with Islamic faith in his family history.

At no time in our nation's history have two men been picked from two direct opposite sides of the political, religious, and ideological spectrum. Who would have thought that the Baptist Minister and the black Islamic democrat would be the national front runners?

In March of this year the state of Texas will host its state Primary for nominating candidates. If you haven't registered to vote you still have time to do so. Do not leave this choice to people who are not as well prepared to make it as you or I.

Get in on the...

Huck-A-Mania!!

Can You Believe It?