Click SMC Intro (under Labels) to learn about the Scripture Memory Challenge - and then look for posts on 1st and 15th of each month!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Weekend Re-cap

Hey Ladies,

I am still on a cloud after the amazing day yesterday. My spirit was so stirred I could barely fall asleep last night...but I was so physically exhausted that my mind finally surrendered. This weekend was just awesome...that is the only word I can find to describe it.
We had a basketball game we cheered for that went into overtime and my neighbor through up a last ditch half court shot when down by 2 points and we won because she got credit for a 3point! The cheerleaders remembered their dance even though its been forever since our last game due to the snow. And then church...there is so much to say about church!!!

I was pleasantly surprised! The speakers were so funny...and so much like everybody else. I would call them normal...BUT...I'm reading "Everybody's Normal - Until You Get to Know Them" by John Ortberg and I have discovered that we are all actually WEIRD!!! Anyway, they had the same struggles and victories as the rest of us. For example, during lunch Cheryl and I compared "boy" stories...she has a "caleb" too! And she has also dished many spankings in the church bathroom in her day..lol. I hope everyone enjoyed the seminars. I can't wait to see the dvd's. I'll let you know when I hear they are available...maybe we can do a showing with snacks...haha


AND I have concluded that our choir is unbelievable...I mean just absolutely unbelievable. Me and the baby buggy kids jammed out in the corner (I hope we were not too much of a distraction!). Travis and I have determined that we are "barely Baptist". It so wonderful to be able to worship how we feel led without concern of judgment by others. And face it...that Amy can just flat sing! She is so blessed as is the rest of the choir. Our entire church is just so blessed with talent. Praise God for everything He equips us with. Without Him we would be nothing...maybe even lower than nothing. I hope we never forget that it is HIM and not us that make our church what it is today, tomorrow, and forever. To Him be the Glory!

I love and appreciate you ALL! Keep shining His light! Share your thoughts on the weekend events!


His Servant,
Kristy

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Prayer Shawl Ministry...who would have thought!

I have a confession...I absolutely LOVE the Prayer Shawl Ministry (i'll refer to it as PSM because I am too lazy to type the whole name). You see...when I was a little girl I thought the coolest person on earth was my Granny Capps. She was a God-fearing, Bible Toting, Biscuit Making, Switch Bearing, Pea Shelling, Apron Wearing, Firm but Loving old woman whom I thought hung the sun and moon. I spent much time with her since my parents birthed me while they were mere babies themselves! She kept me for a whole year while they finished high school. And then countless days after that because I'd rather be at Granny's than home! Especially during and after the divorce!

Well, when I was probably 25 or so she had to give up crocheting because her eyes were bad and her hands were tired. So one day she gave me her crochet needle and her final started afghan. I had always showed interest but honestly at the time could have cared less. So it sat in my closet for almost 10 years. And then the craziest thing happened the year before last. We needed a present for the girls at the House of Hope and Leslie Jordan came up with the idea to crochet scarves for the girls. She taught several of us at a WOM meeting. I brought Granny's needle to learn with. It was the craziest thing...but it was addicting. It was mindless yet challenging, relaxing and therapeutic. Fast forward a little to that Christmas (08)...I made Granny a lap blanket (too big and crooked as all get out) with her needle. I gave it to her and she was stunned. I think she thought I hired someone to make it...until I showed her the needle. It was a sweet moment in time...she was so proud of me I could tell in her eyes. I felt weird kind of humble yet full of a blessing that I don't know how to describe. Some of you know that she died this past summer, and when we went to her house after we left the hospital...there on the foot of her bed was the lap blanket. I knew then that it meant more to her than anything I had ever given her (except great grandchildren of course!).

I say all of this because today we delivered the scarves to the cancer center...and I saw that "look" again on the faces of the staff and the patients and the doctor. The look Granny had when she realized I had not purchased a gift but made one for her out of love and sweat and time (little did she know the TEARS that went along with it too...lol). You see everyone eventually learns that TIME is the most precious treasure we have here on earth. It is short and gets shorter by the minute. We don't know how much we have left and yet we waste so much of it so often. And sadly we miss the blessings as we go through life so fast. I think that is why I like to crochet...it makes me sit with my family and listen and talk to them at times I normally would be doing something else. Granted I am multi-tasking and I know that is probably not the best quality of family time...but most of you also know I am so ADHD that I can't sit and do one thing without getting distracted...so this helps me focus...lol...sort of! I feel like it slows me down just a little...and like when I am waiting at ball practice I love to tell the kids that stare at me like I'm 99 that I am making things for others because I love Jesus and that is just what I do with my spare time...give it Jesus. Now that I think about it...it does not help that Peyton sits waaaaayyyy down the bleacher and calls me loudly "the strange old lady whom I do not know but would like a ride home with"...the Gardner Freak Show...that is me!

So anyway in this really "no point post"...I wanted to tell you that I love the PSM and I hope you will support it in the months to come. I am so excited about the baby hats we are making next. If you want to learn, Ms Lorrene will hold classes the next few Saturdays at 10am. If you don't want to learn but want to be blessed through this ministry...buy some yarn and give to a worker; then encourage the worker along as we go.

Love you ladies!
Kristy
PS - How are your verses coming???? Admitedly, mine is a struggle and I think I scared a little boy at the ENT office yesterday =) yes...the Gardner Freak Show; that is me!

Monday, February 15, 2010

SMC #2

Howdy gals!
Hope you enjoyed the snow...it was my favorite kind...enough to play in but goes away quickly =)
This time my scripture memory verse is...

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves clossely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deu 4:9 (NIV)

It's a long one...but a point in Billie's message yesterday struck me...what am I teaching my children (and others watching) by the way I live my everyday life? Do I live all 7 days of the week consistently seeking Jesus? When God shows me a truth do I forget it or hide it instead of letting it mold me? Every lesson God teaches me I should pass onto someone else.
OK...let's hear your verses! Name, verse and translation please =)
Have a blessed week!
In Him,
Kristy

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Happy Wednesday!

Hope you are having a blessed week! I am freezing and praying for the folks who have no shelter today and tonight. I cannot imagine being in this wind chill for long periods of time and yet many people endure it with no break. And then that thought took me back to the book Primal by Mark Batterson and I again began wondering if my heart truly breaks for the things that break the heart of God! And there is no doubt God's heart must break for people with no shelter. And then that thought took me to one of my memory verses last year Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty". I love that verse. I even bought a door knocker that we can't use on our door because it had that verse on it. Ask me what I plan to do with a door knocker??? Well, I thought about a small shadow box hanging on the wall but looked in 3 stores last weekend and did not find one! So for now it lives on the counter waiting for a home. And I just smile when I see it because I desperately want my life to reflect that my "rest is in the shadow of the Almighty"!!!

OK sorry that was so random I am not sure where that tangent came from...I was only planning to share this next bit (and yes I shared it with Mr Paul but decided it was important enough to post in two places ;-) )

Below is a link to Beth Moore's blog. She is doing an on-line book club using her newly released book "So Long, Insecurity - you've been a bad friend to us". If any of you ladies would like to read along she will start this Thursday (tomorrow) with a reading assignment of a couple chapters and a couple discussion questions for the blog community to post answers/discussion. I think the plan is to post new assignments once a week. She has over 5,000 readers signed up to participate...I cannot WAIT to see what God has in store!

If you don't want to read, please pray for those who are reading to get a "fresh Word" from the experience.

If you need help getting a book let me know. Lifeway has them as well as christianbook.com

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2010/02/so-long-insecurity-discussion-group.html

In Him,
Kristy

Monday, February 8, 2010

The Other 6 Days

Hello Ladies,
This Sunday we will be holding enrollment for "The Other 6 Days" event being held Sunday, Feb 21st. It is going to be an awesome day of training and fellowship. The schedule reminds me of a typical Caswell Saturday event. We'll have a couple large group sessions and then we can pick 3 of 5 different small group sessions. One of the sessions is for Ladies Only...I am excited about that! A summary of classes will be e-mailed out later this week for you to review. So be sure to sign up...we need an approximate headcount so we can plan room sizes accordingly (and supper too!)! You are welcome to invite a friend...just let us know!

Here is the web site if you would like to check it out until we send the summary info:
http://www.theother6days.com/

Have a great week!

And P.S. how is your memory verse coming along??? It's not too late to start...invite a friend to join us!
=)