Feeling A Little Crafty

Last night while we were on our date, Bruce and I stopped in at Goodwill and I found these shutters. Which made me think of my blogging friend, Tori. I LOVE Tori. Tori is a missionary with her husband and three great kids in Croatia. She has a thing for rustic windows over there.
So anyway, looking at the shutters and thinking about her thing for windows, I thought of a craft I could do for the house.
The idea is to take these apart, find a mirror to go between them, and have Bruce build me a small flower box to go under the mirror and shutters. I can see it in my head. I think it'll be pretty hanging on the wall.


This week Harrison found his John Deere t-shirt that his Paw Paw bought him a few years ago. He put it on, and of course it was quite a bit above his belly button. We laughed about it. He said he wanted to keep it, just the same. I told him I would make a pillow out of it. Well, our missionaries going to New Zealand (the Howell family) had a yard sale today and one of the items I found was a fiber pillow that hadn't been opened yet. What perfect timing, right???? So I came home and sewed up his shirt into a pillow. He was thrilled and has already been resting on it.

Fun, fun! :)

ETS: I meant to tell what else we found at Goodwill...We found the ENTIRE SET of Creation Seminar Series with Kent Hovind for $6.93, and they have NEVER been opened. Can you believe that?? Needless to say, we'll be doing these for Science this year. And Lord willing, maybe I can talk the principal of our home school into visiting the Creation Museum in Kentucky at the end of the school year. Wouldn't that be a great field trip? :)

Apologetics I

A couple of teenagers got into a discussion with Brother Ken at church and the outcome of this discussion were the teenagers asking to do a Bible study on why we are Baptist and why we believe the way we believe.

After talking with Pastor, Brother Ken was given the go ahead to start an Apologetics class for anyone who was interested. The first class was Thursday night and I'm so glad I went. I, as well as many other adults in our church, thought it was just for the youth, but I was pleasantly surprised it was for everyone when I took Hannah. And several adults have mentioned they are interested. So I'm looking forward to seeing this class grow.

Brother Johnathan taught this first class and did an excellent job on the importance of Doctrine, and the duty we have to know our doctrine and share our doctrine with others.


Brother Ken had an assignment ready, explained what the classes would be about, and encouraged us to ask questions.



One question asked was from, I think, Exodus 32:14, "And the LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people." The question was if the LORD is Holy and perfect, why would He have to repent?

Brother Ken then asked what the word repent meant. The majority of the class, including myself, thought it meant to ask for forgiveness. I mean I'm thirty-nine years old and I've thought it meant to ask for forgiveness all of my life.

It actually means to change your mind. To turn yourself away from what you were going to do. The person that asked that question thought it was a stupid question, but I'm so glad they asked because I walked away feeling I had learned something new. And I did!!

Needless to say, I am ready for the next opportunity to sit in on this class and I'm so glad our church is doing it. I'm even more glad that we had some teenagers interested in the who, what, when, where, and why of what we are and why.

Here are some notes from Brother Johnathan's lesson:

I Timothy 3:16-17 *Every word of the Bible is inspired and given to us by God. If we don't believe the Bible is God's inspired Word, there's no point in trying to be who and what we are. We must believe God's Word is true!

Baptist Doctrine did not come from the Catholics and it did not come from the Protestants. And we have a duty to share that doctrine with others.

1~We have a duty to ourselves to teach Bible doctrine. To know our doctrine and teach our doctrine, stands us apart from everyone else.

2~We have a duty to other Christians to teach our doctrine. It's good for people to get saved under Baptist doctrine, however, it is not about other's decisions, it is about our discipleship. When someone gets saved, they need to know how to serve, grow, and why we're set apart. Winning souls is a great thing, but we must disciple new converts.

3~We have a duty to an unbelieving world to know and teach our doctrine. If we don't believe our doctrine is important, there's no point in sharing it with others. When unbelievers are going through heartaches and trials, it is our duty to share the Word of God with them. They need to know there is something more than just the world. That the world can not help them through their trials. But there is a God that can.

3~It is our duty to Christ to teach others. We should live our lives as missionaries, telling the doctrine everywhere we go! Matthew 28:19-20.

*The more we invest in learning about our doctrine, the more we'll love our doctrine and desire to share it with others.

Some verses given to us on the doctrine of the Bible:

*Psalm 12:6-7

*Isaiah 40:8

*Matthew 5:18

*II Peter 1:20-21

*Revelation 1:3

Gettin' Ready!

We haven't started back to school yet. Our first day of school will be September 20. We've always started after Labor Day. Truth is, when we started home schooling I had every intention of beginning around the third week of August. It just always happened after Labor Day instead and so after about five years of trying for August we just made our official time after Labor Day.

This year I haven't had to order curriculum because we have everything we really need, although Hannah does need a new Geography curriculum. We used one in the seventh grade, but it wasn't as in depth as we had hoped. As of right now, she is praying about some things for after she graduates, and if the Lord wills that for her, then she will need to have some Geography in her credits. So I'm hoping to find a really good one out there. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Even if God does not open this door for her, she can use it in something else.

I have to admit that I am very eager to get this school year started. I'm excited about Hannah starting her sophomore year. Hannah is very studious in her work. She stays at it. Of course, sometime through the year I may have to push her, but for the most part, she's a good student. Harrison has learning issues. He struggles with his reading and I'm sure he has a bit of dyslexia. He has not been officially diagnosed, but everything I have read points him in that direction. So I do teach him a little differently and it takes him a little longer to get where he needs to be. But he does get there! Praise the Lord! And he, too, is a very good student. I'm glad to be able to have them home with me. It's been a blessing. Since Justin graduated this past spring, I've been a little depressed knowing my home school class has gone from three students to two students. But I do look forward and anticipate another wonderful year with my two younger kiddos.

I need an easel, though, and keep forgetting to tell Bruce I would appreciate him building me one that folds up for easy storage. Maybe he'll read this and I won't have to remember to say anything. HINT HINT *wink* *wink*, Honey!
:)

Meeting Him

We started a new ladies Bible study tonight. The book we're using is called Meeting Him. It is based on women in the Bible that met Christ and how He affected their lives forever. I am very excited about this Bible study. Basically Mrs. Ava was telling us about the book tonight. For those of you who didn't make it, Mrs. Katherine will be leading our first study on the book next Tuesday at 7:00. I'm looking forward to hearing Mrs. Katherine!!

We met at the Gondola Italian Restaurant to kick off the study. Mrs. Riley was able to join us tonight. Her husband is part of the group that is back to help our church on the new building going up.

We had a good many ladies show up. Lots of chitter chatter and laughing.

Little man made it to the Bible study too. We'll let this little man in anytime. He was such a good little darlin'. And so was T-girl. She did a great job too, being good. She's growing up!

Look at the smile on LeAnna's face. She got to see her sweetheart this past weekend where he's in Bible college. Hopefully she'll get to see him again in the next couple of weeks.

I ate supper at home tonight, but I did order dessert at the restaurant. I got this slice of chocolate covered cheesecake with a chocolate dipped strawberry on top.

Mrs. Ava's birthday is the 13th of this month, and since she and Pastor Goodman are flying to the Philippines on that day, we decided to celebrate her birthday tonight too. She was surprised and enjoyed a great big piece of chocolate cake!

Look at that smile!

Labor Day

We didn't have anything on the schedule for Labor Day yesterday so we jumped in the car and rode to the Kings Mountain Battleground. The weather was perfect for walking the battle trail. When we got there we noticed a campsite set up at the beginning of the trail.


The men were telling us about their guns.


And the ladies were cutting vegetables and preparing a stew over an open fire.

And this little fella was playing and having a great time. He was filthy too, but loving every minute of it!

Justin worked yesterday so it was just the two younger ones that got to go. We missed having Justin along, but such is life, right?

There are monuments all over the trail, marking where someone fell or a specific event had taken place. Harrison wanted his picture at each and every one of them.

Bruce was explaining something we had just read on the trail.

The trail was packed yesterday. Every bench we came to was taken. So Harrison was thrilled to find this one empty and grabbed it as fast as he could.

President Hoover came to give a Presidential recognition to the park and over 70,000 people gathered there to see him. That's where I'm standing...the Hoover Monument.

The monument above is a special place for Bruce and me. He asked me to be his girlfriend there and then asked me to be his wife there almost a year later. :) We're standing in the spot he proposed. I always thought it was funny that he proposed where a battle took place. I wonder if there was a hidden meaning in that?? hahahaha...just kidding.

My sweetheart <3

This little finch was so small you could barely see it hopping in the grass.

Bruce once told Harrison that all the bodies from the battle were buried in this monument. LOL Such the story teller!!!!!

This is the place where Ferguson is buried. I thought it ironic that he would teach his men a bit on camouflage, but the day he was killed he was wearing a red and white checkered shirt, making him an easy target.

When we finished the trail, we sat in the visitor's center and watched the film about the battle, then walked through the museum.

That look on Harrison's face cracks me up everytime I see it. He was hoping it would look like he was grabbing the sword. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed the walk and the time with my family, minus one. Hope you all had a good Labor Day too!

Happy Birthday, Marie

We celebrated my beautiful mother-in-law's seventieth birthday this past weekend. When I hear others talk about their mother-in-laws and the problems they have, I feel very blessed to have a mother-in-law like Marie. I'm so glad we get along the way we do. She is a sweet lady and I love her very much!
For our birthdays, Marie always gives us a gift bag full of little snacks, so we did the same for her. Justin and I went together the other day and picked out some things we thought she'd like for snackin'. She got a little tickled that we did that for her. lol


We took her to supper for her birthday and she decided she wanted to eat at the Mountain View Restaurant uptown. It's a local owned establishment that serves authentic Greek food and some southern cookin' too.



Besides her bag of snacks, we also got her a gift card.


The card was for Cato's and I'm sure she'll enjoy doing a little shopping there for something pretty!

We told her we'd stop and get a birthday cake, but she wanted to go to Swooger's for some ice cream. Swooger's is a little ice cream parlor uptown. They have a 50's atmosphere and it's always fun to go there.

Marie enjoyed her butter pecan ice cream cone.

Harrison enjoyed the bubble gum flavored. I would have thought bubble gum flavored would be pink. But nope...it's blue at Swooger's.

And I loved my little cup of Mint Chocolate Chip.

Bruce got butter pecan, just like his mama. Look at him. A man ready to dig in.

Justin wasn't in the mood for ice cream. LOL

We had a good time out with Marie. We went back to her house and visited for a little bit and I think she had a pretty special birthday. I hope she felt special, anyway.

Random Thoughts

We had a great time in church this morning. We had many new visitors, two of which that came forward. One got some things settled, and his wife got saved. It was beautiful! Mrs. Janet gave them new Bibles and convert material and I'm happy to have a new Sister in Christ. They are family members of some of our members. They don't live in this area, but we hope to see them again soon.


We had a wonderful service tonight too, followed by a Sunday school fellowship for our class. And Tuesday night we're having a ladies Bible study at a local restaurant. I'm looking forward to the fellowship and the Bible study. I forgot to pick up my book tonight, though. Oh well...I'll try to get it Tuesday morning.

The SIGMA sponsors met with Pastor Goodman tonight and we discussed the new SIGMA year, got the list of kids that will be on our teams, and I'm looking forward to this upcoming year. We'll have an afterglow next week where the kids will find out whose teams they're on and begin getting ready for RUSH Night. Things will be a little different this year for RUSH. And I'm glad. I think it's all going to go great.

We didn't make Labor Day plans. I think our plans are to just chill at home and do absolutely NOTHING! Doesn't that sound good? It does to me!!

Have a great holiday!!

Last Night of Revival

We had another wonderful night with Brother Hutson and thus concluded our revival meetings this week. Sure do appreciate his old fashioned preaching!!

Last night we had some special singing. All the singing at our church is special to me, but the Philbecks were there and they are just wonderful to listen to. Brother Philbeck is the pastor of Love Valley Baptist Church, a neighboring church in our area. His wife and children were there and did a fantastic job singing. I do have a video of them below. The song in the video has become my new favorite song. LOL I've been humming it in my head all day.

Today is my beautiful mother in law's birthday. I went out this morning with Justin to run some errands and while we were out I got her gift and we'll be taking her out to supper tonight. She went out to eat with her sisters today so I'm sure she's having a good birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIE!!! You've been the best mother in law I've ever had. The only mother in law, but the best, nonetheless.
:)

Enjoy the Philbeck family singing I Just Wanted You To Know....

Last Night of Revival....BUT NOT REALLY!

Wednesday night was scheduled to be the last night of revival with Brother Hutson. But we're extending it one more night. We've had such a wonderful time with him this week. I am really looking forward to tonight. I've become friends with one of his church members and she's afraid we're kidnapping him. LOL :P

Last night he preached from Titus 2:10 "Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things."

I have read Titus 2 many times but never pulled the points out Brother Hutson pulled out. When I read Titus 2 my mind's eye immediately will focus on verses 3-5. But in verse ten he speaks of adorning the doctrine of God.

Brother Hutson gave a great illustration about his mother's banana pudding vs his sister's banana pudding. He said he loves his mama's banana pudding. When she made it, she would serve it warm before it had time to set. He said it was so good it would just run all over the plate and they'd drink it up with a straw. But when his sister Sherry makes it she won't tell anybody because she wants to hide it in the fridge until it sets firm. Then she cuts it in little squares, peppers a little powdered sugar on the plate with a slice of banana and serves it. He said, "Now if you had never had either pudding, you would choose Sherry's because it had been adorned and made attractive." Another illustration he gave was he and his wife took one of his preachers and his fiance out to eat at an expensive restaurant that delivers your meals in courses. He was meeting this young girl for the first time. And he noticed that she was the only one not eating the $8 salad he had just bought. This salad had everything on it...dark green and light green lettuce, croutons, bacon bits, onions, peppers, shredded cheese, ranch, etc.. and it was really buggin' him that she wasn't eating it so he asked her "...how's your salad?" She never said anything but she turned her bowl a few times and then he saw it. A roach about three inches long sitting there in her bowl. Needless to say, not only was HER appetite ruined for that meal, but so was his and everyone else at the table.

The question is, do we adorn the doctrine of God and make it attractive for others? Or are we like a big roach on the plate that is going to turn the appetite for others?

I've seen some Christian roaches and they can really turn people off to the doctrine of God. Not only do they hinder the unsaved and ruin it for the next Christian that tries to witness to them, but they turn off other Christians around them too.

Those that walk around with a super spiritual attitude and try to associate their beliefs with their Pastor's family and other preachers they like will turn off those around them because they're Pharisees. They say they're disliked by the world and other Christians because of what they stand for. That's not true. If it were, those that they associate themselves with would be disliked by the same people that dislike them. Truth is, they're a cockroach on the plate of the doctrine of God.

I don't want to be a roach to the doctrine of God. I want to be that powdered sugar that makes people want what I have.

GREAT sermon last night!!

Here's a few of his points:
*Consistency ~ We adorn the doctrine of God when we stay the same.
*Compassionate Witness ~ Be a wise witness and a warm witness.
*Compelling Worship ~ Sinners should be uncomfortable in church. We adorn the doctrine by Scriptural worship.

A couple of his quotes last night:
*If it was wrong at one time, it's still wrong. The Bible doesn't change!*
*You will never be right with God until you are right with your Pastor.*
*No weeping = No reaping.*
*Worship is an act of will*

REVIVAL TIME

Brother Tony Hutson will be with us this week. We are very excited and happy that he is coming. I've been looking forward to this ever since Pastor announced he was coming.

He's also going to be at another local church next month!! Lord willing we'll be making it to that, at least one of those nights.

Below is part of tonight's sermon outline, taken from Luke 19:29-31....

In Order For God To Be On Me, There Has To Be:

*Life

*Loosing

*Leading

*Listening

*Lowliness

"God won't use a donkey that won't listen!" ~Brother Tony Hutson

It was so great seeing preachers and pastors from all over this area gather at the alter and fellowship with one another. They came from Faith, Bethel, Love Valley, First Love, Landmark (Gastonia) and other neighboring churches. Preachers from the Crossroad's Rescue Mission and the Master's House. They were lined up all along the alter and it was a blessing to see those TRUE men of God praying together and having a time of fellowship with one another.

We're looking forward to tomorrow night.