Church Website

My project of the day has been setting up a website for our church.  While it is still a work in progress, I would love for you to take a look and give me some feedback.  I will be working on it over the next few days and hopefully improving it.

Race for the Cure - Pictures

Saturday was the annual Race for the Cure. A couple of friends from church, the kids, Brian and I donned our pink in support of finding a cure for breast cancer. Oh and there were about 50,000 other people there too. We had a great time. The kids really enjoyed it. They even walked the last mile with me. It's not too late to make a donation. If you're interested click here to show your support.

VBS Time

It's that time of year once again where our church is transformed into something unrecognizable. This year's theme is Power Lab - the Power of Jesus. Pretty cool looking isn't it?

One of Those Moments

Do you ever have one of those "make you feel old moments?" I had one recently when we received a graduation announcement in the mail. The daughter of our former pastor is graduating from high school this Friday night. I am not quite sure how that can be. After all it was just a mere fifteen years ago in January that I first went to church with Brian and met the wonderful Williams family. I had not even been a high school graduate a year when I first watched that little girl take the microphone and sing to the Lord in front of our small congregation. I watched that little girl grow up over the next few years, doing the penny march each Sunday, singing with her family, and growing spiritually until the Lord called her father to a new church and eventually led us to a new church home as well. While I haven't had the pleasure of watching her mature through her teen years, each time I do see her it is easy to recognize Christ in her life. I know the Lord has great things planned for her, and I pray that she will always follow His lead. I just wish her growing up didn't make me feel so old...

Something a Little Different

We recently started a new prayer group at our church. It is a Moms in Touch group and we meet once a week to pray for our children and our schools for one hour. We had our first meeting on May 5th and I decided to go just to see what it was all about. After listening, I knew it was something that I needed to do. All was good until it was actually time to go to the first real meeting. We were supposed to start at 6. I got back to town after work at 5:30. This gave me 30 minutes to talk myself in and out of going - I actually felt like those cartoons where there is a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. While I knew I was supposed to go and that God wanted me to go, the devil kept tempting me not to go. You see I am one of those people that rarely prays out loud, and that is one of the key elements of this group. So the devil kept popping excuses in my head, reasons not to go. But in the end I went, and I really got a blessing from it. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined, and I know I will grow spiritually from it, not to mention my kids and our schools need all the prayer they can get.

How Rude

The rudeness of people will never cease to amaze me. Last night, we attended Stephen's school Christmas concert. While I understand that listening to a couple of hundred second and third graders sing Christmas carols hardly qualifies as a upscale social event, I was amazed by the amount of talking and chatting that went on among not only the kids (mostly bored teenagers drug there to see their pesky younger siblings) but the adults that were supposedly there to support their children. While I sat an listened to the singing - which was pretty good by the way - there were numerous conversations going on around me that were very distracting.

I don't know if I am just more aware of this or if it is actually becoming more prevalent, but I notice this kind of thing happening at all kinds of events where it shouldn't be the norm. I even notice it at church a lot. While someone is singing to the Lord, there are usually several conversations going on in the congregation. It was very obvious to me over the last few weeks when I left my usual seat on the front pew and sat in the back. Throughout the congregational singing, special and even preaching there were people of all ages - yes, even the "elders" of the church chatting it up. All I can say is - can't it wait until later?

While I am ranting...There are three of us here at work that profess to be on weight watchers. It has been an especially hard month since several clients have brought in goodies ranging from cookies to apple fritters, but alas the clients don't realize the temptation they put before us. However, this morning one of my fellow "weight watching" employees brought in a plate full of sweets. Have you ever felt completely sabotaged? I told her she should know better than to bring that down here. Her reply - "I had to bring some of it down here so there wouldn't be so much left at home to tempt me there." I have taken a stand - I refuse to eat it - not one bite - and I told her so. In fact, I told her that it would be even worse on her because now she had the temptation in both places. Anyway - how rude!!!!!

Tales from the Scales Update

And I am happy to say even with all the temptation of the various treats of the season, I am still maintaining. I know I didn't post last week - don't really remember why - but since my post two weeks ago, I am down one pound. Which means I am 1.5 pounds above my "comfort zone." Not to shabby. Check out the progress of others at Tales from the Scales.

Welcome to the World

Bethany Hope York

5 lbs 8 oz

18 inches

7:59 AM

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday already? And on top of that it's November. Where did the time go?





This week I want to say how thankful I am that Skylar is feeling better. I am thankful that the doctor was able to see her on such short notice Monday, even insisting that we bring her Monday at 5:30 rather than waiting until Tuesday.

I am thankful for fall weather. It is finally starting to feel like summer might really be over. Soon the leaves will start to change and then fall. I know God is about to paint a beautiful picture for us all to enjoy.

I am thankful for the time off of work I had last week. It was nice to have a couple of days off with nothing planned. My favorite part was going to the library - I know I am such a nerd, but I really love to read, and God has led me to some really great books lately. I just finished the third book of the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. I really love these books so far. I can see bits of myself and my friends in several of the characters, and as I see them grow, I am often moved to tears, knowing that God has worked some of the same miracles in our lives.

I am thankful that God's word reminded me that His word never returns void. I made the decision Sunday to stop teaching in children's church. My patience and nerves had run out for dealing with behavioral problems. I had hoped to get an immediate sense of peace over the decision, but it didn't come until later when God led me to read Isaiah 55 - specifically verse 11. While it felt like everything I tried to teach in that class fell on deaf ears, God assures me that as long as I taught His word, someday something will come of it. And while that assurance hasn't led me to rethink the decision to quit teaching the class, it has given me a peace in knowing that everything I have done in there was not in vain. And with the closing of one door, God will open another. I don't yet know what God will lead me to do, but He has something planned for me.

And I almost forgot - I am very thankful that I made the last payment on my van last week and received the title in the mail this week. One less bill to pay.

For more Thankful Thursday, check out God is in Control...NOT ME.

As Busy as I've Been...

You would think I would have more to post about. But life has been pretty boring. I kind of like it that way though. I know I still haven't reported much on vacation, but I have yet to remember to bring my pictures to work with me so that I can upload some. I hope someday to have internet service at home that is faster than snail mail.

We have a very busy schedule over the next couple of weeks. I can't believe that school will be start in just 2 weeks. We get to find out who Stephen's teacher is next Tuesday night. I don't know much about t he second grade teachers, but I do know of one that I hope he does not get. This particular teacher has been teaching forever - in fact she was my sister's second grade teacher - and no one has ever liked her, at least no one that I know of.

We are also still praying for the pre-school situation for Skylar. I would truly love for her to get into a good program this fall. We are on the waiting list, but still waiting to hear. We had hoped to send her to the one that is at the kindergarten, but at $130.00/week it is just out of our price range. I know that if it is in God's plan for her to go that something will open up, but it is hard to wait and not know.

On top of getting ready for back to school, we have revival at church all next week. That means late evenings for us. I am usually in bed by 9 and there is no way we will even be out of church by 9 each night. I may have to slip some naps in at lunch. I expect our revival to be a good one. Right now our church is growing by leaps and bounds, both in numbers and in spirit. Our evangelist is the same one we had last year, and he brought such good messages. The only problem is the heat. With 100+ temperatures predicted for next week, our poor little church will be very hot. Our a/c units just aren't big enough to cool our sanctuary in that kind of heat when you add 100+ people to the mix. My prayer is that the heat doesn't hinder anyone from getting a blessing.

A Special Night

Last night was a very special night for our family - especially for Brian, as it was his deacon ordination service. Our church and church family mean so much to us, and it is hard to put into words the way they make us feel. There were so many kind words said as our former and current pastors spoke to us and about us. Both of these men have special places in our hearts, as they have both guided us in our spiritual growth over the years. And I felt such a peace come over me as they prayed over us. I know this is not a job to be taken lightly as I have read and meditated over the scriptures Acts 6:1-6 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13 many times in the six months since Brian was set aside for ordination. It will not always be easy, but I truly feel that this is what Brian is called to do, and as long as we always seek and follow God's will in every decision that we make, then things will go according to His plan.

Bro. Robert Williams (former pastor), Bro. Arthur Harrell (deacon), Brian, Bro. Wayne Brown (current pastor), Bro. Bobby Cooper (deacon & Brian's dad)

Jesus, Send the Rain

I have been going through a drought. Not literally. The weather has actually been rather wet for this time of year. I mean spiritually. I don't know why, but lately I haven't felt like worshiping, praising, studying, or even praying. But last night, the rain started to fall. We had an outstanding service at church last night. I had spent the whole morning service and most of the evening service sulking. I didn't want to hear the message. Then God softened my heart and I began to listen to Him. It was nothing the preacher said, nothing in the song service or the testimony service, it was the Holy Spirit moving through the sanctuary. It was just me and God. I cried out to Him at the altar and He met me there like He is always faithful to do. I got up from the altar feeling as though I was starting anew, freshly washed by the rain that only God's mercy is able to send.

Challenge and Weekend Update

Well I guess I should be glad I lost 1/2 pound this week. I was an emotional eating wreck last week, and the birthday cake didn't help matters any at all. For that matter neither did the church cookout. But back on track yesterday and all will be good this week.




We had our annual F.R.O.G. Day (Fully Rely on God) for the kids at church Sunday. We took them all to the Ozark Conference Center for an afternoon of swimming, eating, and frog racing. The kids really seemed to enjoy it. I know mine were completely worn out by the end of the day. I even kissed a frog (thanks a lot Bro. Wayne) - and no it didn't turn into a prince.

Down with the Old Man...

up with the new. Last night Stephen got baptized. Ever since he got saved back on Good Friday he has been asking when he could be baptized. It wasn't something I wanted him to feel pushed into doing, so we talked about what it meant several times, and I told him when he felt he was ready just to let us know. Well last Sunday he asked Bro. Wayne when he was going to baptize him. I am so proud of him, and I hope he continues to grow in his love for Christ. He is even going to church camp this summer. That should be a wonderful experience for him.

Good Friday...No It Was GREAT Friday

The most amazing thing happened Friday night. We attended a Passion Play at the Russellville Assembly of God church with our church. It was a very moving production. At the end of the play, the preacher led the congregation in prayer asking anyone that wanted to become a Christian to repeat the prayer. Stephen was sitting with Kelton in front of Bro. Wayne. After prayer Stephen turned to Wayne and said, "I prayed that prayer." Wayne later said that he didn't think much about it, and just told him good job buddy.

A few minutes later as everyone was leaving Stephen came up to me crying his heart out. He was supposed to spend the night with Kelton and I thought that he had backed out. I kept asking him what was wrong and he kept saying he didn't know. I asked if he still wanted to go to Kelton's and he said yes that wasn't it. So I continued to ask questions, and I finally knew what was happening. God had broken his heart. He wanted Wayne to come and pray with him.

Wayne's first reaction was the same as mine when he saw him crying. He thought he had backed out on staying over with Kelton. But it soon became apparent to him that my boy was being called by Jesus. He asked him a few questions and then prayed with him. Sitting on the next to the last pew by door 2 at the Russellville Assembly of God Church, Stephen accepted Christ into his heart and confessed Him as his saviour. It was the most amazing and touching thing. I will never forget it as long as I live, and I pray that he doesn't either.