Outreach....Here I come!

The week of Christmas break has come and gone, tomorrow morning I leave the home I love and head off to Texas one last time (at least in the near future). For some reason this time seems worse than it was at Thanksgiving. I think it might have something to do with the fact that everyone else is still on break and New Year's...it will be weird to not spend New Year's will my friends like I have every year since High School. Don't get me wrong I am so excited to go to Houston and then off to Uganda...but I just wish we could be home for one more week. The week with family and friends and youth group kids has been wonderful, I've loved every minute!

• Helping Mom make the ever so famous Monster Cookies
• Laying around and watching Friends with my best friend
• IHOP Christmas brunch with the 2 Besties!
• Caroling with my students!
• Going to look at Christmas lights in Winding Brook
• Taco Bell run (only once...sad story...and no milk shake dates?!)
  
• Having my small group girls over and just catching up on life
• Late nights with the brothers
• Playing with my 2 favorite little girls in the whole wide world!!!
• Christmas Eve Service (my favorite service of the whole year)
• The Finneran side Christmas (even if it was weird that my sister and fam couldn't make it)
• Dutch Blitz action with good friends (I won!)
• Scum with the family
• Just being home!!!

I need to wrap this up pretty quickly because I still have some laundry to get done and lots of packing to do, but I wanted to give you a quick run down of my outreach so that you all can keep my team and I in your prayers!

• December 28th - My friend Mel and I will drive the 17 hour trip down to Texas - pray for good weather and safe travels!
• December 30th - We drive to Houston for our stateside outreach (I will be driving one of the 15 passenger vans! )
• December 30th - January 11th - we will be in Houston doing street ministry - some hurricane relief, running several street-church services, some youth services, street evangelism - which will include reaching out to several drag queens, serving in soup kitchens and much more!
  
• January 11th - after an evening service we will be driving back to Tyler so pray for good weather and alertness!
• January 12th - on base for the day...recouping...doing laundry if necessary...packing up for Uganda
• January 13th - fly out of Dallas and head to Uganda! (I believe we only switch planes once in Amsterdam)
• January 14th - February 13th - In Uganda, through that month we will be in 3 different cities - Jinja, Soroti, and Arua - we will be working in several orphanages, going into some indigenous tribes, street evangelism, church services, prayer walks, the other girls and I may work with some women coming out of prostitution, and whatever else the Lord asks of us!
  
• February 14th - fly back into the US!
• February 15th -22nd we will be recooping and debreifing in Texas. We will all share about our experiences in the evening service on the base.
  
• February 23rd - I will be coming home!!!
  

Hopefully that helps you as you continue to pray for me, your prayers are much appreciated!!

Before we left for Christmas break I was still about a thousand dollars short of my amount needed for outreach. I am not stressing about this, becuase I know that my God is faithful! If you still want to donate to my outreach here is a link that you can print off the form:
http://www.ywamtyler.org/donate/mailform.htm
or you can donate by phone: (903) 882- 5591 ext. 5303 or 5309

Thanks for your overwhelming love and support as I embarked upon this jorney!! I can't wait to tell you all the millions of stories and show you pictures of what God did on our outreach!

Thanksgiving!

Wow how time flys! It seems like just yesterday I was getting ready to leave for YWAM and now here it is 2 months later and I am home for Thanksgiving! I wasn't supposed to come home for Thanksgiving, but on Monday my Mom received news that she most likely does not have MS, but could possibly have Devic's Disease and so I felt a real need to be home with the family for the holiday! So I left at 11:30 AM on Tuesday and drove 17 hours with my good friend Grady to be home with the fam for Thanksgiving! We arrived at my house at around 4:30 am on Wednesday and my parents were thrilled to see me! It has been wonderful to be home and with family for a few days! Thinks at YWAM are amazing! I have fallen in love with Jesus in such a new and exciting way and have learned first hand about giving Him total control of my life! In January, my team and I will leave for Huston, TX for 2 weeks to do some street evangelism and then off to Uganda for a month!! I am so pumped to be in Africa and working in the orphanages!!! I know that God is going to reveal himself to us in such amazing ways while we are there! Classes at YWAM have been amazing and I know that God has me there for such a time as this. The weather is amazing in Texas and coming back to Indiana with the snow on the ground was quite a shock! LOL! I sent out and will be sending out more newsletters this week! Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support as I continue to seek God's will for my life!!

As this weekend comes to an end I am just reminded of how much I have to be thankful for!! God has blessed me in ways I never could have imagined! I have an amazing family, great friends, and God continues to provide all my needs! I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving and may God bless you this holiday season!

YWAM

Real quick update...don't have lots of time...I have to get ready to go to Family night in a little bit! Just wanted to check in and let everyone know that I am safe and sound in Texas and have been for a week! Things are amazing here! God is so good and moving in the most amazing ways possible! I feel as if I am on a 24/7 Jesus high! It's AWESOME!!! I need to run...but hopefully soon I can post some pictures and more details! I hope all is going well for all of you and I love you all so much! Keep praying for God to show me His path for my life...but as of right now...I am on the ride of my life!!! It's amazing!!!

What a great LAST week!

So many memories of this week...ahh...it has all been SO good! Sunday...going away party...good times...fun faces...good food! Lots of friends came to say good-bye and it was fun to see everyone and I got to meet the cutest puppy EVER! Let me just tell you that it has been one of my dreams for a LONG time to get a puppy and a Beagle at that! Well...my best friend..got a puppy...and a beagle at that! It is the cutest thing EVER!
Shine Time that night...good time...lots of fun and good memories...fun chats with some great people! TOO many fun random pictures...I won't bore you with those! Sunday night and Monday...I was feeling not so good...took lots of vitamins and prayed like crazy that I would feel better and by Tuesday I was doing better! YAY! Praise God! Sara came over Tuesday night we had breakfast for dinner...YUM YUM!! We started the very slow packing process!! Today...SYATP with my girls!!

Tonight...fun times....sweet youth rally at Bethel! Awesome to see some many teens pouring out their love to Jesus! Sweet youth group shirts and an AMAZING blanket from my small group girls!Sweet United shirt!

My awesome blanket!!!

All in all...an amazing last week with family and friends..a week that I won't forget..but is still overflowing with excitement for my up coming adventure!! Weather on Friday and Saturday...SUNNY!! What a great day for a LONG drive!! God is doing good things!

Tears...Memories...Footwashing...and Car Wreck chasing?!

I had my small group girls over for the last time before I leave on Saturday night. I started the night off with a very special foot washing. The girls and I first became a "small group", 2 summers ago at Last Blast, we did a foot washing that summer. So, I decided that doing another foot washing a year and a few months later would be like a closing book end on our time together! I had candles and worship music (our small group songs) and had all four girls sit on the chairs and I went around the circle and just washed their feet. I thanked them for allowing me to serve them. Through many tears we managed to go around and they told me how I had impacted their life and I went around and gave them each a piece of advice.


As we were finishing up the foot washing and were ready to just have a fun night now that we had gotten the tears out of the way. We headed upstairs and much to my surprise everyone was gone...but the doors were open...I was so confused. Come to find out...a car rolled in the ditch around the corner from our house. So we went and watched! The kid seemed to be okay...which was good..they put a neck brace on him..but that could just be as a precaution. As we were standing there watching..they got another call for an accident on the other corner from my house...holy cow...this never happens! So..my girls were like...lets go to that crash...so we jumped in the car and drove over there..that one wasn't as exciting, so we left shortly and went to get junk food at the store. Headed back to my house...ate..reminisced...and watched YouTube videos! LOL! We made a T-bell run at about 2 am or so...and came back...watched more videos and reminisced some more. About 4:30 am we finally crashed! Then we all overslept...OPPS! The night was good...fun memories...joy....tears...LOVE!

Sisters!

So, I am spoiled......by my sister....and her husband! Not only did they fill my gas tank last night, but tonight they took us all out to dinner before I leave. Then Sara and I went shopping and she bought me 2 pairs of shorts and a pair of sweatpants, oh, and she also bought me a frame that says: "Aunt: just like Mom, only cooler!" I'm feeling very loved right now...being very surrounded by friends and family, but knowing that God has big plans for me, and right now, they aren't in South Bend, IN. I have to spread my wings and fly.....so here's to new beginnings in Texas, and lots of memories in Indiana!

Whew!

What a day! It was a good day though! I was up until 4 in the morning...just feeling uneasy about talking and just not feeling prepared! Good thing I didn't have to get up early and slept until noon! Then finished putting the power point together and spent some good time praying and just asking God for strength, cause I knew it would be a hard day! Got to church got stuff finished up and set up, fought back tears on many occasions. Sue Stockman was asking if I needed her to do anything else and I had to fight back tears at the thought of this is the last Wed I will be here to do all this. Walking around turning on projectors...just everything...made me sad...but I told myself I was not allowed to cry until AFTER I spoke..I knew that I wouldn't make it ALL night as I knew John was praying over me and if my girls starting crying, I knew I wouldn't hold it together...but I at least had to make it through my message. As I was leaving to get dinner, I got a text from my sister asking if there was a CFA on the southside...they had come all the way from Grand Rapids to hear me speak! Got back to church about the same time they got there...got to show of the girls..always LOVE doing that! Spoiled them with some ice cream! Worship was just awesome..not sure if it was because for the first time in a year I wasn't doing the media shout, but man..it was just good..I needed it...fought back tears again on the song Enough...God truly is more than anything I need or want. Managed to get through my talk without tears and everyone said I did a good job. I spread a rumor at the beginning and made people think that John and Erin were pregnant and much to my surprise that rumor didn't get all over...pretty impressed! Anyway, spoke on gossip and the effects of it and how we can work on not gossiping! Then John got up and asked all the leaders to pray over me and I looked back and my girls were balling...uh oh...the tears flowed...there was no stopping them then...we had cake to celebrate me and send me off and I got lots of hugs! Sara and Paul went on a date and took my car and brought it back with a full tank of gas...it was on E...they spoil me too much sometimes! I am so grateful for all the people that love me so much! I now have a headache the size of Africa since I have been crying all night, so I am going to bed!

Giving God the Glory!

So...my days at Chick-fil-A are quickly coming to an end. And with that end in sight some of my employees have begun to ask many questions about where I'm going and what I am doing in Texas. Now all of these people know that I work for the church and that I'm a Christian, and they know not to cuss around me, but beyond that I try not to shove my faith down their throats. Anyway, tonight one of the girls at work began asking lots of questions about my trip and somehow we got on the topic of the Bible and she was like..I try to read the Bible, but I don't really get how it applies to me. So, I told her I would give her a book ("Bible Answers for Students" - pretty much it is just puts verses in categories such as gossip, appearance and so on) that would help her see verses that really did apply to her. I told her it would be my going away present to her...much to my surprise she was overly excited and actually jumped up and down. This just goes to show me that even though there were nights that I didn't feel like working at Chick-fil-A, that God had a bigger plan, way bigger than counting several hundred pennies a night, but to plant seeds in these people's lives. What an awesome God we serve!!!

Commissioning!

So...commissioning is done! I was rather nervous during first service, but things went VERY smoothly and got lots of compliments about how well I did! So...I was feeling confident for the second service...until Fergy comes up with this great idea...lets have your small group girls come and pray over you too! At first, I was excited, I love those girls and what better way than to have them up there with me as I embark upon this journey. That was until I got up there...and looked at these 4 amazing young woman of God...4 girls that have changed my life in the last year and a half, 4 girls that have become a part of my world, 4 girls that are Juniors in High School and on fire for God (sure they have drama and struggles...but they are teenagers). How could I ever leave these girls behind....so I fought back the tears...and managed to get my 3 minute speech out and didn't cry until after we left the sanctuary. Then we all embraced and cried together! The girls treated ME to lunch and we played in the rain....there was LOTS....and we watched a movie and just spent the afternoon together! It was great fun and lots of fun memories to leave with as I head to Texas in a week and a half.

My girls Summer 2007

Worship Night 2008



Megs and Kelc Summer 2007


Formal 2008

(I didn't take any pictures today...but thought I would throw up some old ones of these amazing girls!!!!)

3 weeks...AHHH!

In 3 weeks I will be on my way to Texas! It almost seems unreal to me that it is going to be happening so fast. I am super excited to be at YWAM and to let God speak to me and use me in amazing ways!!! The next few weeks will be busy...and I am sure that it will fly by.

• The rest of this weekend, we have my nieces and it is always a blast hanging out with them!!!
  
• Next Sunday the 14th, they are doing my commissioning at church.
  
• I am also teaching the tech team to run media shout that evening, since I will no longer be there to run that for them.
  
• I am speaking at youth group on Wednesday the 17th, my last regular Wed night (as the next Wed is SYATP Rally), on the topic of Gossip, the last of our 4 week series on Surviving School.
  
• I am finishing up my time at Chick fil A on Saturday the 20th.
  
• That night will also be the last hurrah with my amazing small groups girls. God has used me to mentor them, but I have also been blessed by them in a million ways!!! I am over-joyed at the amount of spiritual growth I have seen in them over the past year. At Last Blast this summer, during one of the amazing worship times, my 4 girls joined hands and in tears stepped out of the tent to pray with each other. More than anything in the world I wanted to go with them, to pray with them, to hug them, to love on them, but as I sat there God said...Emily...let them go..you have done your job...you brought them closer to me, now you have to let them live for me. You have to let go. I knew He was right, He always is!
• The 21st my parents are having an open house good-bye party for me that afternoon, as it is my last Sunday in Indiana.
  
• There is also Shine Time that evening at the Parkers!
  
• Most of that next week will be spent packing.....AHHH!
• That Wed I will most likey attend the SYATP Rally with my students, one last event with them.
• On either Thursday or Friday, probably Friday! I will leave for my 16 and a half hour drive to TX! I will stop one night at Purdue, to visit Sarah and Collin and as of now the plan is to drive the other 14 hours in one day...yes I know..long day...but I just don't like the idea of staying in a hotel all by myself...so I would rather leave at like 7 am and drive until 10 pm then have to stay by myself!
  

Wow...I knew it was all in my schedule, but seeing it all written down...wow...makes me see how much I am truly going to have to rely on God to get through these next few weeks. I am pumped to get there, but not looking forward to the good-byes! I love so many people here in good old Indiana and have learned so much from so many people. Thanks for your continued prayers as I embark upon this journey! I will be doing my best at updated this site regularly to keep you all filled in on the things the Lord is doing in my life!

Ben Stein's confession:

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning

Commentary.
My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrati ng this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the Americawe knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

The 3 Musketeers!

The 3 Musketeers are all starting new chapters in life...its scary and hard to all go our separate ways. We all went our separate ways for college, but were all within hours of home and could come home for a weekend when ever we needed! However, with this new chapter, it is going to be very unlikely that all three of us will be reunited for about a year. It is so scary, but I know that God has amazing things in store for all of us!!!

Sarah got married!!! She was beautiful!!! The day was gorgeous! It was wonderful to laugh and dance and party it up with lots of friends!! It was really cool to see Dan Schmidt, as he was flown in to marry her! The day went really smoothly! She had fun, and told her Mom right before they left for the honeymoon that the day had been perfect!!!
SO happy for the two of them!!!
Watching my best friend drive away with her HUSBAND, I had to cry (for the first time all day!!) Somehow I know that things will change, she will always be my best friend, but now she has that man by her side through it all!
The other 3 musketeer is embracing in her own new journey in life as she moves to Germany to be an RA at Black forest Academy. Stephanie is so excited for this opportunity to serve God, while helping out fellow missionaries but being "a soccer mom" to their students while they are away at school! She is brave and bold and so ready to do whatever God calls her to do! So, tonight, only one night after I waved good-bye to Sarah, I have to attend a going away party for Steph! I am so happy for her and couldn't wish anything better for her, but all the while there is that selfish lump in the back of my throat....both girls in one weekend...not sure how I am going to do it!! I love them both and am so proud of the amazing women God has molded them to be!

Everyone keeps reminding me that in just a short while I too will be leaving this area and heading to Texas, but right now that seems a long way off! I know that the God I serve is amazing and that He will give me the strength to let both of these people go, but it is not going to be easy! These girls have been my life since 7th grade and it is not easy to part ways. Keep praying for strength during this transition phase and for the financial funds for me to go to YWAM! May God wrap His loving arms around you today!!!

My God is Mighty to Save!

Wow...we serve an awesome God! I just got back from one amazing week at Last Blast! Going into the week I was a little nervous, because our kids were all comparing it to last years camp, when God REALLY moved! Not that I didn't think God would move, I just didn't know if it would be that mountain top experience all over again! God proved himself over and over again.

Monday night, the very first full day, God was already breaking down walls. We had each of them write something, that was pulling them down and pulling them away from God, on a rock. Then we had that chuck, not just toss, but chuck that rock far into Lake Erire. (It was an amazing sunset as we sat that and did this!) My girls and I had a great conversation about the things they wrote down and we came up with some ways that can help each other continue to give them to God. I walked away that night going, okay God, I know you are here and you are moving like never before, I am sorry I doubted!

Tuesday we spent the day at Ceader Point which don't get me wrong was alot of fun, but I really want to get back to the way that God moved, so maybe some Ceader Point stories another day!

Wednesday everyone was pretty tired, a few people were starting to get sick...the devil was trying to work, but God overcame! Pete (our guest speaker) did this really cool maze where he blindfolded all the students, put one hand on a rope (that zig-zaged, but never had an end) and told them they had 3 rules...they had to keep their blindfold on, they had to keep one hand on the rope and if they had any questions they could raise their hand and we would answer it if we could. The whole point was...they had to ask for HELP..so often in our walks with God we forget that we are not on this path alone and that our brothers and sisters in Christ are there to help us. We had an open mic time where students could publicly ask for help, it was really cool to see our students rally together! During worship a few of our students mended some broken relationships and healed some hurts in their lives, it was so cool to see God move in that tent! I asked them to help remind me that God is in control of my finances and if He wants me to go to YWAM then He will provide. Later that evening John gave me a "Send Emily to Texas Jar" that the students could all put change and money in through out the week. It was hard for me to accept that...but I knew it was part of me asking for help and that I need to learn to do that more!

(wow...God had already done so much and we still had one full day of camp left!)

Thursday we had a really powerful time of worship and people were falling on their face before Jesus! John and Pete walked around the tent and anointed people. It was really cool just to watch God move in amazing ways. My small group girls all joined hands and walked out of the tent together and so much of me wanted to jump and go with them and pray with them and be there for them, but God said no Emily, your time is done, you have to let them do it on their own, you have completed your job their...let me handle it now and as hard as that was, I knew it was God preparing me to leave them in a month and a half! There were lots of tears and lots of brokenness this week, and God gets all the glory, He brought our youth group together and we truly are UNITED in Him!

As if that week wasn't enough, and God had pulled our group closer together. One of our student's fathers died last night, very unexpectedly and what did our youth do? Without any help from the leaders they planned a pray meeting today at church and afterwards they are going to Target to buy Trevor stuff to help him get through this hard time. I have never been so proud of my students and the way they are coming together to support a brother in need! God gets all the glory! He did amazing things in our students this week and I pray that it doesn't stop there!

Growing up.....not sure I'm ready yet.....

Okay...here's for you Melissa! LOL!

It has been a long week!!! I spent the week out at Camp Ray Bird with my youth group. At first the plan was for me not to have a cabin, but to just oversea our youth, well they were short handed so I ended up helping with the oldest girls cabin. It was girls from 13 to 15 and they were great!! Can't complain too much, there was a little drama on the last full day, but overall it was a good week and God really provided for me in ways that I never imagined. He gave me strength when I had none and wisdom when they asked questions. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with an amazing head counselor and have a great group of girls. All of the youth group kids did amazing too and it was a blast to watch them all as they were serving the Lord!

Yesterday was the first of 2 showers for Sarah Saint, it went really well and was a blast to just hang out with good friends and her family. After that we came back here for a birthday party for Kayleigh, can you believe she is 5 already?! Then to top the night off we went to the Cove for a baseball game and to watch fireworks. Oh the memories it brought back. Something tells me this next month is going to fly by and before I know it one best friend will be married and the other moving to Germany for 2 years!!! YIKES! Scary...I am not sure I am ready to let go!

But it won't be long after that that I will be packing my bags and heading for Texas!!! YAY! So, ready for the amazing things God is going to do with my life! YWAM is going to be amazing, and I know that somehow God will provide the $$ for me to go! He is in total control!

I'm not sure when we all grew up and life flew by so quickly, it seems like just yesterday we were going on quiz trips and having Jr. High crushes. Now we are getting married, moving away and following God with our whole hearts!! I'm so thankful for the amazing friends God has given me and I hope that distance does not change that!!!


(I would have pictures in here, but my camera is not working..BOO! I am hoping that by some miracle I saved the receipt last December and that the warranty will cover it! I might be able to steal some of my Mom's pictures to add in here...we will see!)

"Fruits of the Spirit" -- Galatians 5:22 - 26

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."


I love this passage of scripture and for some reason God keeps bringing it to my attention lately! So, when told I was to teach Sunday school tomorrow, I knew what on! Not only is this something that I personally am working on, but am also going to let God speak these words through me into our youth.

Love...such a powerful word, if only we could learn to love the people of this world, in the same way that Christ loved us, imagine what an amazing testimony for Christ we could be. Not only loving our family and friends...but the smelly guy in front of us in the grocery store or the woman who cuts us off when we are in a hurry. What if we learn to love EVERYONE around with Christ's love?

Joy...waking up knowing that it will be an amazing day, not based on the fact that the sun is shining or everything is going according to our plan, but because we know that we serve such an awesome God, that we can't help but overflow with HIS joy!

Peace...that sense that whether things are good or if they are bad knowing that He is right there and has a plan, so we need not worry or freak out, cause it is all part of His master plan!

Patience...what a hard one this is for me!...some once encouraged me to pick the longest line at the grocery store, or the longest line at the red light...let God teach us patience, cause it is something that we all need, whether it is patience with our siblings or parents, or patience waiting for God to bring the "RIGHT" one into our lives, or patience as you try to figure out what God's plan is for the rest of your life.

Kindness and Goodness...go hand in hand...they tie into loving people...just being genuinely KIND to someone and doing GOOD towards them...not because it is in your job description or because your Mother always told you to be nice and treat others kindly, but because you truly want to live as Christ lived and treat everyone as He did!

Faithfulness...being faithful to Christ, but also to your family and friends, not back-stabbing and gossiping, but being a good and faithful friend, being there when they are in need and sharing in their good times with them!

Gentleness...a form of humility, putting others needs before your own and treating others with the utmost respect. Correcting each other in Christ in a way that shows respect and dignity and not tearing each other apart.

Self-Control...not giving into the things of this world...sex, drugs, stealing, lying, hatred...but allowing yourself to be led by the spirit and not but yourself.

Just some of my thoughts on this passage...I personally am working on patience and joy! Finding the patience to wait for God's timing on things in my life! And finding Joy in my everyday mundane situations...in the work place and at home, cause God has created me perfect, why should I be anything less than joyful to Him and everything and everyone He has created!!

Feel free to leave your thoughts or opinions, I am far from an expert on passages such as these, I just speak as the Lord leads!

America "the selfish"

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true, given the source, right?

The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed, and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence, 2/3's of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change.

So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ''What are we so unhappy about?''

Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time, and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough.

Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and
provide services to help all, and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings.

Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes , an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have , and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the President who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same President who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The President that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks?

The Commander-In Chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?

Think about it...are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the "Media" told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go.

They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an ''other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds, it leads; and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells , and when criticized, try to defend their actions by "justifying" them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about "how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way"...Insane!

Stop buying the negativism you are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad.

We are among the most blessed people on Earth, and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

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