We took the morning shift and froze in the giant shadow of the building although it was a nice day.

It was so worth it! Fireman was with me on one side.

Ladybug was at the other door with friends (pink jacket).

We collected 2 carloads of items from their wish list and

over $350.00 in cash! It was a good day and people are so generous!

We heard lots of stories of family who had either used the House themselves or had family members or friends who have. Even one family with a child there now…what a Blessing.

Their Wish List of items is an on going thing, they are always needing stuff, so if you have a local Ronald McDonald House…. buy a few extra groceries and drop them off, they will be so appreciative!

I have gotten lately from…

{11.1-7.09}

My Pastor’s Sermon, notes I took recently…

Message to Laodicea- Revelation 3:14-22

Asia Minor- a cluster of cities.

1. Heirapolis-it’s city gate had an inscription with Domitian’s name on it, meaning they honored him. Philip (country boy from Bethsaida) was the disciple to them. Town center was a temple to the god Apollo; water was brought into the temple and you HAD to go there to get it. Plutonium- pathway to the god Pluto/Hades (gate of Hades). The theater was a great influence on their culture (just as it os on ours!). It was a VERY secular city and yet Christianity flourished. Natural Hot Springs: people came from everywhere; therapeutic, healing.

2. Colossae- fertile valley and Cold Springs-very refreshing.

3. Laodicea- Rich and Industrious.

A. Manufactured and exported Black wool

B. Eye salve, that was made from a stone in the region.

C. The Gold Exchange-banking center.

Earthquake happened and they said no thanks, to Rome for help rebuilding, they were wealthy enough to handle it! Self sufficient and proud.

There was one thing they WEREN’T Proud of! They had the worst water system. It had minerals and was polluted.

In the city is was a church (Laodicea Christians). Jesus said to them you are Lukewarm.

Not Hot nor Cold-did not mean good or bad. Hot brings healing and Cold is refreshing…YOU ARE NEITHER! And it’s making ME SICK! (vomit)

I want you to be known as a people who heal and comfort.

How are you known? Who are we?

*Illustration- A Research study done with 18-29 year olds- ” What Does it Mean to be a Christian?” #1 answer was: it means there are several groups of people you are against (hate).

Rules – (minus) Relationship = Rebellion

Church and Culture- we are to be bringing people to God, but we are telling rules but no relationship. We are trying to get their attention with our t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. WithOUT Relationships!

How do we get them to believe?

Matt. 25:31-40 Service = Love, Matt. 10:40-42 To Follow Him- is to serve others. He wants us to be known as servants.  He wants HIS Glory to SHINE!

* Doctrine – (minus) Service = Rebellion against God.

Matt. 5:17 Be Zealous and REPENT! We will then sit down with Him on His throne.

17 AD city was again destroyed by an earthquake.

60 AD it happened again. They started questioning their allegiance to their gods.

Build a Jesus Gate in your city: covered with people who are KNOWN as Servants!

My Dh’s “Truth Bits” he does and posts on his Blog!

He wrote a lot of great ones this week, but this one is my favorite “Open Handed“.

My personal daily Bible Reading….

Got behind this week..too much other reading going on!

My Book Club/Bible Study time….

Wow! We finished up Unveiled: Tamar this week. What a powerful story! I read a devotional this week that went along with the story and the end summed it all up so well:

“Judah had shown little concern regarding the continuance of his line. Instead, God used a woman, shamed by her own barrenness and determined to overcome it, to ensure that the tribe of Judah would not only survive but that it would one day bear the world’s Messiah.” {Women of the Bible: One Year devotional}

{Veils and belly dancing costumes for sell at the Greek-Fest, reminded me and my friend of Tamar’s outfit in the book.)

Did you find any pearls this week?

Here are a few easy recipes for helping your hair to look it’s best in the coming months……to read the rest hop over to Heart of the Matter!

is plentiful,

but the workers are few.

Ask the Lord of the harvest,

therefore, to send out workers

into his harvest field.

out like lambs among wolves.” Luke 10:2 {Jesus}

This stinker tortured us for weeks as we drove by the Cotton field every day, to and from our destinations. We finally gave in, so she could FEEL the cotton. She picked a piece up from the ground and was amazed at all the seeds that were in it.

Anyway- I began a healthy eating plan back in December of 2006 and I did so good. I lost 31 pounds in less than a year and felt great, even though I never made it to my “goal weight”. The place that I was using to help me on this venture actually closed down, owing me money! {gggrrr} So, I didn’t get to finish my plan with them. I learned a lot that year about healthy choices but being discouraged and letting life get busy and then OUT OF CONTROL….{not to mention NOT selling a house, finally getting renters after 6 months!} all of life’s stress can do a number on you! {Do not forget we moved states 2 times with-in a year!}

This past spring a friend of mine tried to help me get back on track, using Weight Watchers (just her guiding me, no meetings) and I did good for a while, but I really didn’t understand the whole of the plan. To get the results I wanted and needed, I needed to understand the whole thing. So, now that we are settled in our new state and new area, I went and joined the local group. The light bulb came on at the first meeting, I didn’t even know half of what I was suppose to have been doing in the spring. So, equipped with my new knowledge and determination, I am on this journey once again. My goal is not to be pencil thin, or even a certain dress size….I just want to be healthy.

Another big difference this time is my whole family is doing it with me. Support and encouragement, we are in this together. I am only beginning my second week with WW, but I am beginning a life long journey with my loved ones.

Do you have any healthy eating/living secrets that work for you? How about any yummy healthy recipes or websites!?  I would love for you to share them!

I have gotten lately from…

{10.18-24.09}

My Pastor’s Sermon, notes I took recently…

Message to Sardis: Revelation 3:1-6

Intro: If someone looked in the windows of this church, they would “look” alive. The truth is they were dead.

1. Jesus’ wanted the church to be alive.

Matt. 23:27 you appear righteous, but lawlessness reigns. I want you to be alive, but also clean.

Matt. 15:1-3 Religious ritual.

Matt 15: 7-20 The problem is not the hands, but what comes out of the heart. * The inside that you can’t see. Be clean even where people can’t see.

- What does make us clean/alive?

Matt. 23:2 Seats. vs. 5 dressed up, vs. 15 converts, vs. 23 tithe, looks good, but dead.

*The problem-RELIGION= any set of rules or routine intended to get you to God. (We can’t climb to God-God stepped down in Grace and Mercy to us.)

2 Tell-Tale Signs of Religion

1.When the outside is more impressive than the inside. (shiny on the outside but unclean on the inside).

Illustration- you give money to church, and then uncompassionate to the waitress at lunch afterwards, when she gets you the wrong drink.

Religious people are mean! Crusades Christ’s Death. Religion gets you no where.

2. When the form matters more than the substance.

Illustration- Cups: Dixie, Regular everyday cup, Nice Glass, to Fine Crystal.

Religion is like licking the cup-when you are dying of thirst.

Jeremiah 2:13-forsaken me and dug their own broken cisterns.

2.Don’t value the wineskin more than the wine. {The package more than the gift!}

Pharisee’s-they had cup addiction. They had a:

Prayer Cup- this is HOW we pray.

Meal Cup- this is how we eat. (washing hands before. ritual not health)

Sabbath/Worship Cup-this is HOW we worship.

Modern Day: we do too!

Architecture Cup- we only can worship in this type of building/facility.

Program Cup- we can only share Jesus by doing this program.

Clothing Cup- we need to dress this way to come to church.

Music Cup- we can only worship Jesus with this kind of music.

*A FAVORITE CUP IS OK, to have….BUT DO NOT WORSHIP the CUP!

I want a church that is alive and clean. Nothing to do with the container. (Jesus)

Rev. 3:5 He will come and clothe the righteous in WHITE garments and and confess their names before God!  {Thanks you, Jesus!}

My Dh’s “Truth Bits” he does and posts on his Blog!

A kinda funny thing happened to my Dh and the Lord taught him through it! {Light}

My personal daily Bible Reading….

I am reading through all four gospels in chronological order..so cool! Will share soon!

My Bible Study time….

We had the get together part of our Book Club, so we could get to know one another. It was fun to be with so many others with the same love for books! Gonna be a good few weeks as we read together and discuss!  We started reading 2 chapters at a time this week.

Did you find any pearls this week?