MckMama's Rebel for a Cause

I just donated a small amount to MckMama's raffle-way, Rebel for a Cause. She has teamed up to create an AMAZING giveaway based on raffle tickets sold to donate money to three incredible ministries. MckMama has blessed me so much on her blog and in her story of her sweet baby Stellan and the miracle that God performed in her womb. And in her incredible sweet way, she has created a way for her blog readers to recieve something while supporting these awesome ministries. I would be totally blown away if I won this incredible Canon package; but more than anything, I just wanted to be a part of this in some little way. And, yes, my donation was very small. But, one thing that I have learned while raising money for missions trips... God takes a small amount and simply multiplies it. There is no other way to explain it. It just multiplies. Like the fish and the loaves of bread. So, God, multiply my donation and send it on it's way to bless many hearts.

Home for the Holidays at TBC

This past weekend our church did a huge event called Home for the Holidays. It was actually a two day event filled with all sorts of fun! We started out Saturday morning with a luncheon and tea for the ladies. We had somewhere around 25 tables set up. A different woman (or sometimes two) in the church was responsible for decorating and hosting each table. I shared a table with our music pastor's wife, Amanda. I had a lot of fun getting to know her a little bit better while we were setting up the table and then on throughout the morning. Here's a photo of our finished table with our combined decorating items, skills, and ideas. (Excuse the bad and uncreative photography, I just couldn't get a good angle and finally quit trying. ha.)

We were entertained by a thought provoking skit and had a wonderful message by one of our ladies. We also got to sing a little Christmas music. Finally, we had a wonderful lunch catered by Mel's. There were so many fun tables to look at, too. Ours was by far the most simple table, but I think it still looked classy and we did get several comments on it.

Sunday night was the BIG NIGHT. It began with a performance by our children's choir, Awaken. They did a fun little musical... It really was precious. Then we all moved outside. We had three bands come in for concerts. Lindsey Kane is just the neatest girl ever! We (the ladies' ministry at TBC) met her at our retreat this past March when she came in as our speaker and worship leader for the weekend. She just fits so well at TBC and we all wish she would move to Tomball. :) Only if she brings Jenny, her percussionist, with her, though! We love her, too.


Next up was Gatlin Elms. TBC has a strong connection to this band as well. One of the guys is one of our very own TBCers. I had never heard the guys live before and they really were fantastic!


Our headline band was the Robbie Seay Band. These Houston guys are really making a strong statement in the Christian music industry. It was quite cool to see them live, also.


Amidst all the live music we had a live nativity, Santa on Candy Cane Lane, food, hot chocolate, wassail, and lots of fun! It was a huge success, especially for a first year event. We've already started talking about "next year".

And with the end of that, I can breathe normally for a few days. Until it's time to pack and leave for the ski trip. And then on to Omaha! Stay tuned for those updates. I'm sure I'll have some good stories and photos.

i must be crazy.

Just sign me up for the insane asylum, because I just cemented my craziness. In the matter of 3 days, I booked my Christmas vacation solid. SOLID. Let me start at the beginning...

I've been keeping an eye on plane tickets to Omaha, Nebraska since about April of this year. I didn't have specific date to fly, but I knew I wanted to go see my cousin. Well, the summer went by and there were no good deals. I looked a bit for a long weekend during the school year... nothing. Until I put in a search for tickets on Christmas day. I found an awesome deal! So, in the matter of few short hours I made plans and booked my ticket for December 25th through January 1st!! So exciting!

Then... I get a phone call from our youth pastor Friday evening. He needs another chaperone / relief driver for the high school ski trip. Free ski trip? Um, yes please. So, now I'm leaving on December 19th at 5 pm (um, did I mention I get off work at 4 pm on the 19th?) and driving to Crested Butte, Colorado! We come back at 2 pm on the 24th (please God, don't let us be late!). I'm pretty excited about the trip! I've never skied in my life (please God, don't let me break anything!) and don't own a single ski item. I've got some borrowing prospects that should work out really well. My goal is to not purchase much besides socks and other personal stuff... Because remember that Omaha trip? I need a winter coat for that! I live in Texas. I use heavy sweaters and sweatshirts for a "winter coat".

By the time I get back, I'll have a whole three days before I go back to work! I think I may be sleeping those three days... ;)

prayer alarms

i'm really horrible at remembering things. i just made a commitment to pray for courtney and her family monday morning, as they face another morning of unknowns with maggie's adoption. but, like i said... i'll probably forget all about it until i read her update on her blog. so, i'm setting the calendar on my phone with an "event" at 9:30 am to pray for them. i keep my phone on silent at work, but it lights up when i get a text or an event reminder, so i usually catch the message on time. i've found this works great for praying at a specific time for a certain issue or just things that i need to make a note to myself about. sure beats writing it on the sticky note that i will inevitably lose!!

after the rant

after i've wallowed in my attitude since about 8:30 last night and posted my rant below. i read this article recommended by my pastor. it makes me feel better than i have all day. go read the whole article. but this is my favorite part:

"So this is no time for Christians to go into the bunkers. No time to wail or moan over our retirement plans. This is a time to repent, to pray more, to give more. It’s a time for Christians to lead, encourage, and minister to a faltering country in a faltering economy.

This is a time for the Church to get serious about Christian discipleship. Enough cheap grace."

oh and read my post below. it was therapeutic writing it and i'd hate for it go unread! ;)

the day after

someone asked me today how i felt about the election results. well, here's how i feel.

i was very sad, disappointed, and angry this morning. this is beyond being bummed that my party "lost" last night. i am deeply concerned for the future of this country. just as adamantly as obama supporters believe that good change is coming, some of us believe that change is indeed coming -- but it won't be good

i was not completely enthralled by mccain. i had issues with him as well. but, obama's politics are way beyond what i can support. this feeling i have has absolutely nothing to do with the color of his skin, his birthplace (wherever that is), or his lack of experience. my concern has everything to do with what he has promised to do and his voting record.

i already donate money to charities and causes that i deem appropriate for my bank account and my beliefs and my wishes. i do not appreciate the suggestion of higher taxes that will force my money to go to programs that i do not agree with or to people who do not work to their full capacity.

i believe obama has marxist tendencies and mccain should have hit hard on that.

my feelings also have everything to do with the people he may very well be placing in his cabinet, in the supreme court, and/or in other prominent positions and what their political history is. i have seen and heard the histories of the men and women that obama has surrounded himself with. many of them scare me. and i see these as being very viable prospects for obama to chose from.

i agree that america is in a hard time. our economic crisis is a huge worry. i am not discounting this problem. but, i don't believe the answer lies in electing a president that is so ill-informed and inexperienced. yes, i believe in the checks and balances of our government. but, both our house and senate are now majority democratic. it will be even harder for the republican minority to make a dent.

after 9/11, anne graham lotz (billy graham's daughter) was asked about how God could allow something like 9/11 to happen. she replied:

"I say God is also angry when he sees something like this. I would say also for several years now Americans in a sense have shaken their fist at God and said, God, we want you out of our schools, our government, our business, we want you out of our marketplace. And God, who is a gentleman, has just quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life. Removing his hand of blessing and protection. We need to turn to God first of all and say, God, we're sorry we have treated you this way and we invite you now to come into our national life. We put our trust in you. We have our trust in God on our coins, we need to practice it."

well, i just wonder if that's not what's happening now. however, i still believe, that ultimately God is in control. He feels our hurt and anger right now. He has a plan. and He will be vindicated.

it's now time to rebuild the republican party and take it back to the days of ronald reagan. that is what we need now.

having said all that. congratulations to those of you who are overjoyed and excited about obama's election. i truly hope and sincerely pray that the next 4 years are not as dicey as some are projecting. i don't want to see terrorism on our doorstep again or out of control taxes. what's done is done. all we can do now is hope for the best.

so, here's to drinking the kool aid america. i hope we're ready for this ride.

dear mr. obama

this is a really powerful video that has been circulating the internet and youtube for a few months. today, it made front page news on the fox news website. i have a couple friends that are posting it on their blogs as well. from my understanding (and that understanding includes men i have known directly involved in the iraqi war), the majority of the soldiers feel that the war has done good. and if we were to pull out now we would undo everything. this video is one soldier's opinion. it's a shame our mainstream liberal media can't find more of these soldiers, rather than the ones that are disgruntled. not that i am downplaying the tragedies of war. but, i am saying that our media finds the worst of the worst stories and refuse to balance it out with the good ones. anyway, i'll quit rambling (for now) and post the video.