More Photos of Dolly's Damage-Our Church

(Sorry if there are some repeats)

Our Church Building Took a Hit!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRAYING.

We just got power back and as soon as the air conditioning cools the house (and my brain cells) I'll be able to write about our 2-day Hurricane experience. But for now, I want to share some photos so you know how to pray for us--we have a rebuilding ahead of us.

We have an older mission-style church with a copper roof. The roof curled up much like opening a sardine can. Even though there was plywood under the copper, you can see spots of daylight, and water came in and ruined the ceiling tile, crashing it into the pews. Pews are ruined with popped veneer, the hymnals and pew cushions are ruined, the carpet is soggy, the walls are water damaged and the SMELL is horrific. We'll be meeting in the fellowship for several months while we do the repairs. I'll tell you more about the hurricane later, but for now, take a look at some of the photos and pray as we rebuild.

EMS

I've never heard of this before. Willacy County EMS (the county we live in) has discontinued service until further notice to specific towns/areas. It does not include our town, but the nearby Port Mansfield. I didn't realize EMS ever said they wouldn't respond to a 9-1-1 call. It seems to me that they should evacuate any area that cannot have rescue crews in place so that individuals with health problems would know to go somewhere that will still have medical aid. What if a person has a stroke or heart attack during this storm? They are just out of luck. Scary thought! So glad our town is still receiving service so that our elderly are taken care of in their potential times of need.

Willacy County said they will never endanger their rescue crews to go to the aid of another person. Hmm...

Churning

Hurricane Dolly continues to churn. The news just reported some bad news for us. Dolly has decided to stall out, churning for longer right along our coastline, and rather than making landfall south of us, she will slowly make her way north on the shoreline and will probably make landfall just east of us, and with this slow-mo action, they are now saying it will be another 2-3 hours before she hits. If you hear the town Port Mansfield on the news in relation to this hurricane, that is the closest shoreline town to where we live (north of South Padre Island area).

The bad news is, with Dolly taking her time coming ashore, the rain and winds have camped out longer in our area, rather than making its way west and out of our area.

We needed moisture earlier in the year, but now it has hit at the worst time. The cotton crops had just opened up their buds and before most farmers could get the cotton in, this rain has come to wreak havoc. They might be taking a total loss.

Our electricity has powered off three times, but each time came right back on.

Jazzy doesn't know what to do now that her bathroom is flooded. Hmm...

And inside, I'm making Crispix party mix. We might as well make the best of this, right?

Thanks for your interest and prayers.

Hanging On!

The storm has slowed down before making landfall, which means it's prepared to drop a LOT of rain before moving out of the area. It's also brewing some tornadoes.

Our lights have flickered several times, but power has not gone out. The television satellite signal has gone out several times, but comes right back on in just minutes. Of course, we have it on our local news for up to the minute weather updates.

Dolly is having 120 mile wind gusts and is making interesting sounds out there. The trees look like God is stirring a pot of guisado. Not blowing in one direction but swaying in all different directions. The palm trees are REALLY swaying.

The birds outside act confused and worried. My Libby (calico cat) has hunkered down in her comfy sleeping cube, and Jazzy (Boston Terrier) is on her blankee on the couch with a bite of blankee in her mouth much like a pacifier. Animals KNOW.

Thanks for those prayers. Someone asked if we have insurance. We do and so does the church. BUT our church is a historical building and there is no way to replicate it if something happens--no amount of money can make it all better. More important than buildings though, are the individuals who are at risk.

Still watching and waiting.

Dolly Upgraded

Dolly has been upgraded to a Category Two Hurricane, with winds over 100 MPH, with gusts higher than that. She is slowing down as she approaches land, and they predict she is still strengthening so she is powering up!

Our Front Door

I apologize for taking this photo through the screen door, but the door is blockaded with sandbags so I can't open it. This is a view of our sidewalk being covered with water just about 30 inches from our front door, and Hurricane Dolly isn't here yet.

This shows our vulnerable areas.

Still watching and waiting!

Shelter

We have every reason to believe that we will be fine in our own home. Russ has plans to cover any damaged windows we might get with the wood we have from extra doors and even a ping pong table so we are set to go if we need to cover up windows. These windows have lasted through storms since 1960 so I have every reason to believe they will be okay unless a fluke tree limb or other debris crashes through.

We also want you to know that the Raymondville Shelter is right across the street from us, at the High School Auditorium, so if things worsen, we will go there.


The rain has been start and stop, along with the wind--coming in bands. But now it seems to be here to stay.

We have our cell phones fully charged and a way to recharge them if electricity goes out, so if your worrier gets to be too much you are welcome to call us. Otherwise, we will just keep posting here to let you know updates (until electricity goes out).

We should be one of the first to regain power after the storm is over, since we are in the same region of town as the city shelter at the school. The power crews say they will not send out workers in the storm so they will wait until the Hurricane passes and risks of tornadoes lessen before they send crews to fix failed power lines.

Watching and Waiting!

Morning Watch, Less than 2 Hours to Impact

Bottom Photo:
The sky reflects the impending hurricane and the trees are blowing in the wind.

Second Photo:
Our big plastic container is there to catch water from our faulty roof drainage and divert it away from the house (we poked holes in the container away from the house). The sand bags will help stop a little of the back flow of water towards our back door. They only gave us limited bags, so we put the rest at our front door.

Top Photo:
Our driveway is already almost flooded over, with very little rain down compared with what is to come.

The news says this has time to make it to a Category Two before it hits land. And the news keeps mentioning Raymondville as the worst possible flood area because of our poor system to divert even a little rain before the streets flood.

More soon!
Kathy

Midnight Report-Before Dolly Hits Land

It's midnight now and the rain is coming down harder. Tornadic activity has been reported on radar in the county South of us, a precursor of Dolly. She is said to have several potential tornadoes in her bag of tricks. At the rate Dolly is approaching land, she is estimated to touch our beaches between 10 AM and Noon (Wednesday). Prior to that will be a great amount of wind and rain.

We have a special adapter we can use in our vehicles to plug in small electronic devices like our laptops and our cell phones if the electricity goes out.

I noticed our neighbor pull out a charcoal grill to use if we lose power. I wish I would have thought of that! We don't have a gas or charcoal grill of any kind and our home is all-electric.

We have plenty of cheese crackers and peanut butter and saltines to get by if we have to! I also purchased tuna and canned chicken and some other nonperishables. And like the bears before hibernation, we have a nice "fat pad" to keep us nourished if we don't have three course meals for a while!

The main thing we didn't do since the storm is only a Category One is to board up our windows. We have quite a few windows, but they've survived storms since 1960.

To be honest, we are most concerned about the church because it is in a low-level of the town with worse drainage conditions. The roof and ceilings are compromised anyway due to age and previous weather problems. Also we are concerned for our elderly church members who might require assistance and be too independent to ask for help. We will be sure to check on them as soon as we know what we are dealing with.

Our Music Director went ahead and left town with his wife and infant daughter, and left his tall truck with us because it would be safer here than at his rental. So we have permission to use it to get around town if we need to, and it sits up taller than our mini-van.

There has not been a voluntary evacuation ordered, though, so we should be safe. We'll probably just be inconvenienced. This time tomorrow, we'll know what we're dealing with. And if the Internet is available, you'll know too.

Stay tuned.

Storm Watch

Dolly is on her way, promising to dump torrential rains, damaging winds, floods, and more. They are predicting electric will go out and houses will heat up quickly without air conditioning. The roads will flood due to lack of drainage systems here (the streets ARE the storm drains!).

So far, we've had some slow rains, but not much more. Nevertheless, we know Dolly is coming.

We have gassed up the vehicles, put sandbags in front of both doors, purchased water and nonperishable foods, been to the bank, and stocked up on prescription medications. So we are set.

Now we watch...and wait.

I'll be posting hurricane news alerts as long as I have internet access.

Thanks for praying-especially for our elderly, and for those who will be isolated when the waters rise.

Simple Little Words with Big Consequences

Title: Simple Little Words: What You Say Can Change a Life
Authors: Michelle Cox and John Perrodin
Publishing House: Honor Books, a division of David C. Cook
Retail: $14.99 (hardcover)
Web site: www.simplelittlewords.com.

I’ve always said that the playground lyrics, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” has it all wrong. Physical wounds heal, but being wounded by words can wound for life. Sometimes, all it takes to make a difference in the lives of others are simple words of affirmation. Authors Michelle Cox and John Perrodin have rounded up experiences from familiar names such as: novelist Karen Kingsbury, Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, and Focus on the Family CEO Jim Daly, to name a few. Each story reflects on the power of encouraging words. Simple Little Words is jam-packed with over 40 true stories—from Christian writers, educators,songwriters, executives, Hollywood producers, and others. Just like I guessed on the playground as a child, little words can make a big difference!

The book shows that it is often what is said spontaneously, on an ordinary day that creates a life transformation needed for the hearer. Michelle shares a story from her childhood. “As a child from a dysfunctional home situation, I had no self-esteem and no self-confidence. On a class field trip one day, a classmate’s mom said, ‘You have the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen.’ To her they were ten simple little words, but to a child who needed to hear there was something of beauty about her, they were life changing. This book is a beautiful reminder that our words are powerful tools.”

John explained the takeaway value of the book when he said, “I hope the reader sees that our time on this spinning orb is short. We don't know how many more opportunities we'll have to look a loved one in the eye and say ‘I'm sorry.’ That's the beauty of Simple Little Words. We're not asking anyone to make fancy speeches or write eloquent tomes. All we're asking is that they take the time to speak life, hope, and love to those around them.”

I highly recommend this book. In fact, buy several copies because you will want one copy to keep and others to give away to others. It has caused me to want to get in touch with those whose “simple little words” impacted my life in a big way. Some are no longer here on earth, so the only way I can express my gratitude is to pay it forward by sharing simple little words with others.

Kathy Carlton Willis loves fiddling with words as freelance author, publicist, copyeditor and more. Read more at her site, www.kathycarltonwillis.com/

May Tea Photos from Kim Fambrough Williams

Even More Photos of May Tea from Sophie

More Photos of the May Tea

These photos are thanks to Sophie Trevino.

MAY TEA AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

“How did we get someone the caliber of a Vonda Skelton in Raymondville, Texas?” seemed to be the common question asked May 10th at the First Baptist Church. Vonda is a nationally known speaker and writer, famous for her humorous vignettes and timeless truths. First Baptist invited Vonda to provide the program for their first annual May Tea.

What’s a May Tea, you may ask. It’s a Tea held in May to celebrate womanhood and sisterhood. Is it a fundraiser? No, it’s a mood-lifter — an event designed especially for ladies from all walks of life in all seasons of life. Women invited to park their problems at the door and enter a worry-free zone for a two-hour time of refreshment and camaraderie.

As ladies arrived at the corner of 5th and Raymond they knew right away good times were ahead. Yellow-vested members of the Raymondville Noon Lion’s Club greeted them and directed parking in the 100-degree heat. They even offered free valet parking if the driver so wished. Entering the Fellowship Hall they discovered bright and festive decorations festooning the tables, walls and ceilings. Conversations buzzed and hugs were given as women connected with women.

The theme for the event was “Peel Away the Mask” and masks of various sizes, styles and colors represented the theme. Betty Young handmade eighteen different plastic canvas masks, customizing each mask to be unique. These, along with feathered or sequined Mardi Gras masks and glittered mask-themed “funeral fans” were given as door prizes.

The event officially kicked off with the warm welcome by pastor’s wife Kathy Carlton Willis. Kathy invited the women to wave their napkins in the air — those with gold-colored napkins cheered when they discovered they won the door prizes, while those with purple or green napkins groaned in disappointment. So no one was empty-handed — all received a tea-packed party favor, beads, and bookmark. After a prayer asking God to bless the Tea, attendees were dismissed by table to load their plates in the colorful and fresh buffet line. The menu included: chicken bundles, mini-quiches, assorted tea sandwiches, watermelon boats with fresh fruit, Asian slaw, spinach strawberry salad, fruit/cheese picks, assorted muffins, tea cakes, mini-cupcakes, lemon bars and other assorted desserts at the sweet station. Many brought food for the buffet, but those also assisting with the catering included: Charlene Fambrough, Lois Land, Barbara Chappell, Kim Fambrough Williams, and Jamie Kirman Morris. Bonnie Brown and Virginia Denny decorated beautiful watermelon boats.

The sanctuary was also decorated for the event. Every fichus tree and topiary draped with baubles and beads. Brenda Kirman, Jamie Kirman Morris, Kim Fambrough Williams, Barbara Chappell and Nelda Moreno assisted with decorations. Gaynell Karseno created the colorful flower arrangement perched on the church organ.

Women flooded the sanctuary for the program, provided by guest speaker Vonda Skelton from South Carolina. She is a busy author; her latest book is “Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe.” Vonda’s poignant message about celebrating womanhood inspired hope and joy. Laughter pealed through the sanctuary one minute, and tears slipped down faces the next. Vonda sung familiar tunes with new words, entertaining us with her real world examples of teen girls and senior ladies. And her hilarious vignette, “Solomon’s Beloved” can be viewed on You Tube.

At the conclusion of the program, women exited with hesitancy, ready to face the real world again, but sad to leave the glow of their two-hour mini-vacation now known as the First Baptist Church May Tea. But don’t worry; the church is already making plans for its next community event.

I Like Reptiles--Okay, There--I Said It!

PHOTO CAPTION: The above lizard comes to visit each night, and blends in with his surroundings. He measures about 2.5 inches long, counting his tail. It will be fun to watch him grow!


Ever since I was a little girl, I've liked reptiles. In Louisiana, MO, that primarily meant toads and frogs and sometimes snakes. We traveled to Marlow, OK each summer, and many years I brought home a horned lizard (horny toad) with me in a shoe box, with holes poked in the lid. I loved the soft feel of their underbellies and their rough spiny backs. Their eyes told stories, and their tongues slurped up insects quicker than I could blink. I've lived in various different climates and environments since then, and always paid attention to the cold-blooded critters in my midst.

Now I'm in hog heaven. Or I supposed I should say lizard heaven! I chase them around the yard like the little girl I still feel I am inside. The best part is that late at night baby lizards hang out on my brick exterior and carport. I think they are geckos. And they have the ability to change appearance to match their background. Sometimes they are the color of tan brick, other times they are as white as the carport ceiling, other times they look like the dead leaves in the yard. Some of the babies have tails longer than bodies, with plenty of room to grow. Each night I count at least 4 or 5 lizards. It's like a treasure hunt to discover where they might be next.

And I must admit, there is a part of me still desiring to bring one in the house to watch it grow and develop. For now, I'll just admire them on each evening's walk-about.

One Word Answers

1. Where is your cell phone? unsure
2. Where is your significant other? church
3. Your hair? highlighted
4. Your mother? strong
5. Your father? memory
6. Your favorite thing? relationships
7. Your dream last night? work
8. Your favorite drink? Diet Pepsi Max
9. Your dream/goal? impact
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your hobby? cooking
12. Your fear? isolation
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? more
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? bored
16. Muffins? cranberry-orange
18. Where you grew up? LaMo
19. The last thing you did? e-blast
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. Your TV? DVR
22. Your pets? adorable
23. Your computer? ancient
24. Your life? blessed
25. Your mood? hopeful
26. Missing someone? always
27. Your car? practical
28. Something you're not wearing? girdle
29. Favorite store? Target
30. Your summer? crazy
31. Like someone? absolutely
32. Your favorite color? lime green
33. When is the last time you laughed? recently
34. Last time you cried? yesterday

Burdened Heart in a God way

My heart wants so much for my community. I love the people. I want the hopeless to find hope. Now they only dream for such a thing, but it could be a reality. I want the bored to find purpose. I want the trouble-makers to use their creativity and boldness in a positive way. I want the poor to know success God's way (not necessary to have riches, but just to have a contentment in having what God desires for them).

But most of all, I want them to have a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Many have a ritual or a religion, but no relationship. That's sort of like saying you are a student because you go to a school building or because you have been assigned a locker. But you aren't a student unless you really learn, and you aren't really a Christ-follower unless you really seek Him.

I guess this is a strong thought today. A passion. Because of today's events. We have several friends who say they want something more in their lives regarding Christianity, and they are seeking, but they aren't ready to get invested into a spiritual decision yet because of what is clouding their minds and confusing them. Religion can be really confusing, but a relationship is so clear. Either your relationship is growing...or it is stale...or it is stagnant...or it is non-existent.

What we are finding here is that you don't even have to have been brought up in cultural or religious traditions to be steeped in them. It's just part of their being much like eating rice and beans every day. So, to them, it's about a ritual, such as asking when a loved one can be baptized or making the sign of the cross after praying. But a ritual isn't there for you when you feel you don't have a friend in the world-Jesus is. A tradition doesn't show up to visit when you've been given bad news, but God can comfort from the inside out. Baptism just gets you wet if it isn't symbolic of a transformation that has already happened inside.

Sunday night when we left our evening service, it was still light outside-at 7 PM. And we discovered at least six cars had been tagged with a magic marker with the sign of the North Side Latino gang. While we were inside studying about pre-believers (disciples before they met Christ) outside in broad daylight some members of a gang were marking cars. On some they wrote on the glass and others it was on the paint. We called the police, who knew exactly who did it. This is at least our 4th report of destructive behavior in the past 2 or 3 months. Interesting, one of the cars tagged was that of our county sheriff (his personal car). We aren't sure if others were tagged because some left before we discovered the graffiti.

We don't want to hate the ones who did this...it's just an outward sign of an inward problem. The best part of last night was seeing our people smiling and finding a way to be lighthearted even though it was a serious situation. I told one, Brenda, with a beautiful smile on her face even though her car was hit the worst, how much I appreciated her attitude. She said, "I'm not going to let the actions of someone else affect my happiness. Only I get to choose that!" What a beautiful response.

It's a true calling and mission to be here. It's a LONGTERM investment of time because most will not enter a relationship with the Savior before they enter a relationship with us. Most won't trust the God we talk about until they know they can trust us. The changes won't happen overnight, but I have no doubt they will happen!

Easter Gives Us Resurrection Gospel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathy Carlton Willis
WillisWay@aol.com; 956-642-6319



Easter Gives Us Resurrection Gospel
Former Pastor Has New Evangelistic Message
with Historical Miracle


North Brunswick, NJ (March 18, 2008)--Just as sure as Easter celebrates the risen Savior, the evangelistic message must have as its central theme, the resurrection. So often Christians get bogged down in persuading non-believers that they are sinners, and that Jesus died on the cross for their sin that they lose sight of the true focus of the Good News--the resurrection. Mark McGrath's new book, A Forgotten Gospel reminds us just how important believing in the miracle of Easter is to the conversion of a soul.

Just hearing the word "evangelism" conjures up images of Bible-toters going door-to-door spreading the Good News. Most non-believers avoid answering the door, or feel strong-armed if they do get caught in the net called "witnessing." Even most Christians become nervous at the thought of evangelism. Why? Because they have been guilted into believing they are somehow "less than" if they do not follow a specific pattern of what some call soul-winning. The thing is, the Good News sounds an awful lot like bad news, starting with, "You must acknowledge you are a sinner." This is off-putting for the one witnessing as well as the non-believer.

Today's culture presents challenges to sharing the gospel that were not present 20 to 30 years ago. Why create an antagonistic atmosphere that can be perceived as judgmental? It only shuts the door to the opportunity for future conversations.

Isn't there a better way? A Forgotten Gospel presents a pattern that ordinary Christians can use to share Christ without alienating friends, loved ones and co-workers. Author Mark McGrath studied every instance a Christ-follower shared the gospel to a non-believer in Acts, and found some common denominators. Interesting, these factors are not found in most patterns for evangelism. A Forgotten Gospel shows believers how to present the gospel using a relevant biblical pattern with a flexible, conversational approach. The old models don't hold up in today's fast-paced, post-modern society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Building on 25 years of church-planting experience--with churches started in New York, New Jersey and Great Britain--Mark McGrath, President of McGrath Communications Group, brings a unique blend of professional communications skills training and passionate commitment to developing effective church leaders. Mark conducts evangelism training with several national Campus ministries at Rutgers University in New Jersey and has launched an updated version of both the weekend and small group evangelism seminars he developed. These seminars are available to churches across the U.S.

AUTHOR AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS / BOOK AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW


Endorsements

In A Forgotten Gospel, Mark McGrath has taken the truth of the Gospel that "everything hinges on the resurrection of Jesus Christ" and made it simple for today's contemporary world. Many others died on a cross, but none of them are alive today! Jesus Christ is the king, and he wants our friends to know Him and let Him lead their lives. McGrath gives a new, fresh and yet scriptural approach to the Gospel that makes it easy to share our faith in Christ with our friends and family and then still have meaningful conversations afterwards. Presenting his material has started to encourage my students that they too can share Jesus with the people they live with while still calling them close friends.

-Tony Yuhas
Campus Staff for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Rutgers University

Over twenty years ago we embraced the radical change Mark describes here in A Forgotten Gospel and it has completely altered both the approach to and the effect of our outreach. Because this approach coaches people to know how to engage in meaningful conversations with unbelievers, and how to keep the door open for future dialogue, the number of meaningful conversations with non-believers has increased, the level of our relationships with them has deepened, and the church is extremely confident when interacting with those outside the family of God. On top of that, the people who are now beginning to follow Jesus are coming with a genuine faith and real commitment! Whether you have a heart for evangelism or a fear of evangelism, this book is a must read.
-John Singleton
Director of LifeLine Network International

I like this! And I'll tell you why. It's clear and simple. It's positive, like the gospel. It's full of hope. It's free of religious jargon.

McGrath's desire to make the resurrection of Jesus the central aspect of our communication of the gospel to those who need it is right on! Sounds a lot like the book of Acts.

I especially appreciate his emphasis on learning to listen to others and showing real concern for them and their thoughts. His insistence on being sensitive to the voice of God is extremely important. His whole approach is well-balanced and he writes from a broad experience. Very encouraging, indeed!

-Orville Swindoll
Missionary in Argentina for 32 years. Author of several books in Spanish and English. Founder and director of two Spanish-language magazines for Christians. Fifty-seven years of Gospel ministry, and married to the same woman for over 55 years. Four children. Nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Pastor of a Hispanic church in Miami, Florida.

A Very GREEN Ladies Nite Out

Our Ladies Nite Out fellowships are scheduled the 3rd Monday night of each month. Tonight, it landed on St. Patrick's Day, so I had fun promoting our very GREEN gathering.

I've been telling the ladies for a month that we were going to eat all green foods. At first they were hesitant, not sure what to bring. I made a suggestion list with sign-ups, and we had a wonderful assortment, including: chile verde with flour tortillas, stuffed bell peppers, green mashed potatoes, green deviled eggs, broccoli cheese chicken and rice, green bean casserole, cucumber salad, broccoli salad, grape salad, guacamole and chips, spinach dip and crackers, pistachio salad, lime poke cake, green iced cookies and cupcakes, Andes mint pie, Asian slaw, relish tray with all green items, and more.

My DH helped me use i-Movie and You Tube to put together a 22-minute program with video clips all put together from: The Green Hornet, The Incredible Hulk, The Green Mile, It's Not Easy Being Green sung by Kermit, Green Green Grass of Home sung by Tom Jones, Green Acres, Green Eggs and Ham with Dr. Seuss. Obviously, we had a green theme going on, and it was a blast!

Also, I invited the ladies to come dressed for the occasion, and it was fun seeing some of the green get-ups. We gave away 3 green door prizes. And I shared a brief devotional on how we can be like St. Patrick by making a difference, so that years from now, we have a legacy. What we want on our tombstone is how we should live our lives. Will people even know our names in 100 years from now? Next time we wear green for St. Patrick's Day, we can use it as an opportunity to tell others about the prayer St. Patrick prayed (or at least, is attributed to him).

I of course warned them that there are many urban legends about St. Patrick, but there is a lot of good about him as well, and we shouldn't let another denomination be the only one to use him as an example. The main thing is to determine that we want to make a difference for Christ, to pass down a heritage to the next generation, so that after we are long and gone, others will remember what we've done, not so we have fame, but so we will have fulfilled our purpose to glorify God.

We had about 8 guests with us, so that's always exciting too!

I Spy!

This past week I've had opportunity to observe people and demographics (statistics about people). What I want to report, is "I spy with my little eye..."

And it is BIGGER than a breadbox!

We traveled to Dallas this week to the Baptist General Conference of Texas orientation. There we could have sung the children's song, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world." Not really children, but adults of all the colors of the rainbow met to discuss the resources available to us by the BGCT. Russ and I were encouraged by the diversity and refreshed by the mind-share that happened when we all sat down to share stories and ideas.

We spied another people group...this time at the airport. We traveled one of the busiest times of the year in Rio Grande Valley (near South Padre if that tells you anything). Yes. Spring Break. Every flight was full. In fact, overbooked by 10 passengers each flight. That plus Southwest Airlines being grounded on Wednesday due to flying airplanes that were not cleared to fly (some sort of noncompliance issue that was being addressed). Well, you can imagine, this created the perfect environment for unhappy people! Add to that the already drunk college guys who used colorful language and had very few goals other than satisfying their more baser desires. Helped us realize just how many are out there who are willing to sacrifice any sense of life purpose to fulfill instant gratification.

And finally, I want to leave you with those demographics. The BGCT gave us the stats for a 5-mile radius of our church. This gives us so much to pray about and to figure out ways to help our community.

In 2007:
Population: 13,274
Anglo: 7.8%
Hispanic: 88.5% (97% in the schools)
African American: 3%
Asian/Pacific Islander: .1%
Median Age: 30.3
Of adults 25+ years, 49.9% with no high school diploma, 24$% are high school graduates, 16.6% have some college, and only 9% have a college degree or higher.

Households by Income Level:
Less than $15,000, 32.4%
$15,000 to $24,999, 17%
$25,000 to $34,999, 13.1%
$35,000 to $49,999, 14.7%
$50,000 to $74,999, 12.8%
$75,000 to $99,999, 5.5%
$100,00 to $149,999, 3.2%
$150,00 and up, 1.3%

Keep in mind, those incomes are by household, not individuals. And some households are holding down 3 to 4 jobs (between husband and wife, and either an adult child or a parent living in the same house).

I spy a people who have a love for family and a strong work ethic. They are loyal and enjoy life. But there is a large section of the population who is looking for something MORE. And a lot of children and teens who are bored and scared. They align with a gang early for protection and affiliation.

We have our work cut out for us, and we're grateful for the resources available through the BGCT.

This summer we hope to offer 3 different children's weeks at the church: Vacation Bible School, Soccer Camp, and Music/Band Camp. We are looking into offering some sort of after-school tutoring program, and computer lab, as well as getting a computer program that helps equip those who want to test for their GED. We have something like nine active teachers in our church, and about five retired teachers.

One word? HOPE!

One Word Challenge

Someone challenged me to answer the following questions with just one-word answers. Maybe You'll get to know me better. Feel free to try the same quiz. I'd love to know your answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? PLUGGED
2. Your hair? MEMOREX
3. Your mother? STRONG
4. Your father? HARD-WORKING
5. Your favorite thing? LAPTOP
6. Your dream last night? NONE
7. Your favorite drink? PEPSI-MAX
8. Your dream/goal? NOW
9. The room you're in? LIVING
10. Your hobby? WORDS
11. Your fear? FAILURE
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? VICTORIOUS
13. Where were you last night? CHURCH
14. What you're not? UNSCRUPULOUS
15. Muffins? CHEESECAKE
16. One of your wish list items? WEIGHT-LOSS
17. Where you grew up? RIVERTOWN
18. The last thing you did? SPREADSHEET
19. What are you wearing? CLOTHES
20. Your TV? NOISE
21. Your pets? JOY
22. Your computer? CONVENIENT
23. Your life? COMPLEX
24. Your mood! CONTENT
25. Missing someone? GRANNY
26. Your car? RELIABLE
27. Something you're not wearing? MASK
28. Favorite store? TARGET
29. Your summer? HOT!
30. Like someone? ABSOLUTELY
31. Your favorite color? HOT PINK
32. When is the last time you laughed? TODAY
33. Last time you cried? UNSURE

To be Childlike, One Must Hold On To Memories

"...to retain our childlike openness does not mean to be childish. Only the most mature of us are able to be childlike. And to be able to be childlike involves memory; we must never forget any part of ourselves. As of this writing I am sixty-one years old in chronology. But I am not an isolated, chronological numerical statistic. I am sixty-one, and I am also four, and twelve, and fifteen, and twenty-three, and thirty-one, and forty-five, and. . .and. . .and. . ." — Madeleine L’Engle

My Precious Jazzy

Jazzy, my twenty-eight-month-old Boston Terrier, continues to make me smile. We have a fenced in yard separate from the door to the house, so I have to walk her out there for her bathroom trips, close the gate behind her, and come back in the house to wait for her to finish up. She cries the most pathetic cry to let me know she is ready to come back in. But as soon as she hears me open the door to come "rescue" her, she gets quiet. She doesn't cry one MOMENT longer than necessary. I know PEOPLE who would cry until rescued, rather than being content the very moment they know help is on the way. I can learn from Jazzy!

A week or so ago, we noticed our neighbors had a new dog. Jazzy sort of ignores their first dog, thinking it's sort of a big mouth. But this puppy-she love as if it where her own. She runs out to greet the dog now before taking care of other nature calls, or chasing off the birds, or whatever else dogs like to do in their own yards. The other night she heard the puppy crying, and she urgently had to go outside to check on baby-puppy to make sure it was okay. What a tender-loving doggy I own!

Yesterday I gave Jazzy a yummy chew treat (I guess they are yummy-she always begs for more--I've never personally tasted them!). I gave it to her to keep her occupied while I went away for the morning. When I returned home, she greeted me with the chew treat in her mouth and got all antsy to go out. Not bathroom antsy. She took her treat with her! I figured maybe she wanted to bury it, as dogs are wont to do. Not so. She wanted to share it with the baby-puppy across the fence. How thoughtful of her. KIND. So cute! She was dejected when she couldn't find the puppy. She decided to bring the treat back in to eat it, after abstaining at least 5 hours. I could learn a lot from her to delay gratification in life rather than wanting instant gratification.

Jazzy--the wonder dog!

Hilarious Video You Have to Watch!

My friend Vonda Skelton has uploaded her video of a humorous skit called Solomon’s Beloved to YouTube! (It’s a little vignette from one of her speaking programs.) You will enjoy a good laugh and maybe even a pig snort as you chuckle! Feel free to pass it on to all your friends and family! More people need to find out about Vonda's books and ministry. This could be a way to help get the word out! And it’d be a special boost if you could leave a comment! (hint, hint)

Go check it out at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEmhI8FL_ZI

An added bonus is that Vonda will be our featured May Tea speaker here at First Baptist Church, Raymondville, TX on May 10th and she will be doing this skit live as part of her presentation. Let me know if you want to attend!

You can learn more about Vonda at her Web site.

http://www.VondaSkelton.com

Also, her new book, Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe, is now available at bookstores nationwide, at online bookstores, and at Vonda's website. Read the first chapter here: http://vondaskelton.com/Books.htm

The Writers View

I've been a moderator on The Writers View for several years now, and would love to encourage any writers to consider joining. It's a great networking and resource opportunity. Here's the info:

If you're an aspiring writer and want to get a writers conference in your
inbox, consider joining The Writer View. It's free. It's amazing. And,
seriously, you'll learn everything you'd learn at a writer's conference
(sans meeting cool people face to face), only you don't have to pay airfare.

How they work: Each Monday and Thursday a panelist poses a question about
the publishing industry, the craft of writing, or anything related to the
writing journey. These panelists are agents, editors, writers who are well
known in the Christian writing industry. Then, panelists and members write
posts about the question raised. I still learn new things every week. It's a
moderated loop, so there's no blatant self promotion. Word counts are
limited to 250 per post.

For beginning to intermediate writers, the group to join is TWV 2. Click
here http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TWV2

For advanced, published writers, join The Writers View. Click here
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheWritersView

You will be asked to fill out an application that you then send to the
group's leadership. You'll receive an email letting you know whether you've
been accepted.

The Light Lightened the Load

The other night when we returned home, we saw a gift sitting by our sliding door. Upon closer inspection, it was 2 pillar candles-Bill Blass brand to be exact. I'm guessing now the two candles represent something they see in Russ and me (one for each of us). Why? Because the note--oh the NOTE--now that was the true gift! It said:

Thanks for bringing "the light" into my life, my church, my community!!!!!!!!!! You both are a blessing beyond our wildest dreams. We so desperately needed you in our lives. Thank you. Thank God for opening the door and leading you to us.

Now isn't that about the best thing a person could ever be gifted? We are still floating on cloud nine!

February 8th

Russ's birthday was February 8th. His 46th celebration was a FIRST for him. He washed both cars in 87 degree weather, while wearing just a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops! No other time in history have we lived somewhere with such warm temperatures on his birthday. Nor can we recall him getting a suntan on his birthday! Oh the life of living in the Rio Grande Valley!

While driving to dinner, we reflected back to all that has transpired over the past year. What a year! Lots of highs and lows, disappointments and victories, frustrations and excitations! The good news is that we came out the other end of that year with so many blessings for which to be grateful. We would have never chosen the path that happened this past year, but we sure do like the destination!

Making 2 People Beautiful Simultaneously

I love the program, "Locks of Love" where people with long hair can have their ponytails sheared and donated to make wigs and hair pieces for others who have no hair. I know because a friend of mine has complete alopecia that a human hair wig breathes better than a synthetic wig, and styles like "attached" human hair.

I read an article about the program, and hair stylist Nancy Jones was quoted to describe what it is like to cut the hair of one donating to the program, and she said, "This is the most fun and miraculous thing I have done in a long time, because I make two girls beautiful at the same time."

That brought a lump to my throat to think of it.

And then I thought, that must be how our Lord feels when we share the hope we have within us with others. That hope makes them more beautiful when they receive it, and we become more beautiful in the sharing of it!

Gotta Tell Somebody!

Our Ladies Nite Out hosted a great gathering last Monday night. Our guest speaker was Twila Belk. She is genuine, hilarious, spiritually-motivating and relevant. She opened our hearts' gates with laughter, the deep belly laughs that paved the way for her message to spread like salve through our innermost parts.

I'd highly recommend her for any event. She's known as the "Gotta Tell Somebody" gal. She loves "braggin' on God." Check her out at:

Gideon Bibles

My memories of childhood seem to run together sometimes, so I might have some of these facts wrong. But the best I can recall, here is my first memory of a Gideon Bible. When I was just four or five years old, I remember going to Marlow, Oklahoma to visit my Mom's side of the family. I recall Uncle Eddie carrying me on his shoulders as we traipsed back to the back corner of the property, where some baby bunny rabbits were being raised. When we got there, what was supposed to be a happy time for me immediately turned to sadness when we discovered that the rabbits were dead. I have always had a heart for animals, and this delivered a heavy blow to my tender heart. When we got back to the house, My Mom's grandma, "Little Grandma" somehow said the right words to tend to my grief. I remembered her big old fashioned Bible noting births and deaths, and I wanted to somehow memorialize this death. This is where it gets fuzzy because I don't recall how I received the red New Testament, but inside that Bible we memorialized the passing of Bunny Rabbit. I still have it today!

The Bible seemed to carry comfort and hope, although I didn't quite understand it at the time.

When I was in 5th Grade as we left the school building, 2 men introduced themselves as Gideons offered us Red New Testaments. By this time, I knew what Gideons were. My Uncle Bob was a Gideon, and he seemed to have lots of wisdom and answers to life's questions. It was almost like a rite of passage for the older cousins to get to meet with Uncle Bob, one-on-one. He always carried a Bible and they always embraced when they left the conversation. I remember Mark and Keith and Gary all having these heart-to-heart talks with Uncle Bob. So, these men outside our school said they were Gideons, and they offered each of us a Bible. Some refused. Not me! Mom took us to the library frequently, and I knew the value of a book. We owned very few in our home, and I owned even less! I wanted one!

I also have memories of Dad pulling out one of our New Testaments to give marriage advice to either my cousin Tascha or Julie. Considering he wasn't one to attend church, when he had words to share from the Bible, I wanted to hear what they were!

My Mom received a white New Testament from the Gideons either at her pinning or graduation from nursing school. It was then that I learned that these Bibles came in different colors for different missions.

In 1987, I'll never forget the brown Gideon New Testament my Aunt Deanna carried with her to the hospital when my father was suffering the effects of a stroke. Before his 12-hour carotid artery surgery, my aunt began to share with my dad from the Bible, but he surprised us all when he was able to quote John 3:16 to us, even in his compromised mental state from the stroke--a verse he memorized in his childhood. I have a brown Gideon New Testament that helps me remember those last few moments with my father before the unsuccessful surgery.

We just attended our 4th Pastor appreciation banquet with the Gideons. I'll never cease to be amazed at all the good the Gideons International accomplish all over the world.