Oakland Athletics News

Gonzalez gets lift from bats in series win: "Powered by a pair of home runs and a couple of timely hits, the A's found themselves on the winning end of a 6-4 game and subsequent series win over the visiting Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon."

Scrapbookgraphics – Digital Scrapbooking

Scrapbookgraphics – Digital Scrapbooking

Church of God 7th Day

2011 General Conference Convention

Like A Warm Cup of Coffee

The Relevant Agenda is Up!: "

I am so giddy.

The Relevant Conference agenda is now up! You can see it here.

If you are not yet familiar with Relevant, you can read the mission here, see who is speaking here, and while you’re at it, go ahead and buy your ticket and book your room here (can you smell the chocolate?!). :)

Oh what fun we are going to have! (Thank you thank you thank you wonderful sponsors - if it weren’t for you Relevant wouldn’t happen!)

See you in October!

P.S. If you haven’t already, you can grab your Relevant Flair here!

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"

Room to Read Blog

Room to Read Profiled on CBS Evening News: Literacy in Developing World: "

Last Friday, CBS Evening News, anchored by Katie Couric and watched nightly by 7 million U.S. viewers, aired a fabulous segment on Room to Read and our Local Language Publishing program. This marks the first time a major U.S. network television news program has covered a specific Room to Read program and its significance cannot be overstated.

In March of this year, CBS producers traveled to India to meet with the local author, Manju Gupta, and illustrator, Mehul Navodit, who collaborated on the Room to Read title, Machho’s Ocean Journey. Their inspiring stories were included in the segment showcasing Room to Read India’s efforts to cultivate local talent to create age-appropriate and culturally-relevant children’s books published through our Local Language Publishing program. The story follows Manju and Mehul into their homes and through their creative processes as they work on new Room to Read manuscripts and illustrations.

"Drawing makes me enjoy that kid in me," Mehul said in the piece. "To see your work got published, you feel a lot of confidence -- like what you are doing is actually good.”

Manju agreed. "When I write on my own... It's my soul which is giving out,” said Manju. “My potential has been made use of for the right purpose. It's the best thing."

We hope you have a chance to read and watch this story that captures the powerful impact Room to Read’s Local Language Publishing program is having on the lives of not just the children, but also on the hundreds of authors and illustrators in the developing world that now have the opportunity, thanks to Room to Read, to share their talents with their local communities and in their local language.

WATCH the CBS video story here.

READ the CBS online story here.

To learn more about our Local Language publishing program, click here.

"

Tammy Trent

Turn! Turn! Turn!: "

The challenge of “moving on” from our past and into our future is much easier said than done, especially when soo much is undefined and at times can be far from a secure feeling in our lives. But what most of us can probably say about “moving on” is that we KNOW it’s something that will be good for us, better for us and something that God is calling us to. A place where the sun is shining a little brighter and the air is more lovely to breathe.

But there is far more to moving on than just getting out of bed every morning and hoping for the best as we put one foot in front of the other. Do you ever find yourself walking over to the mirror, still with sleepy eyes and wonderful morning breath, (mine smells like roses-haha) saying back at yourself, “God where are you today? Will you show up?”. I know I have! And Ohhhh yes, God will ALWAYS show up, but I believe He requires us to do a little work ourselves. Like actively making new plans, speaking over our lives as mighty overcomers, taking on our future with courage and redefining what really needs to be redefined around us. At the end of the day it ultimately means that we need to understand and accept that things have changed in ours lives and now DO something about it. Ecclesiastes 3:1 – To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

So here’s my kick in the pants and reminder to all of us. Turn! Turn! Turn! Moving on is a process, so stop waiting for what you wished had happened different. It is finished. It is time. The wait is over. So jump in and start that process today. God has given and placed in you GREAT ideas, hopes, solutions and dreams for your life. Pray for courage and wisdom to step up and step out and then begin to take back your life and allow God to fulfill the dream He birthed in you. But you cannot do it alone. God is your helper and as the greatest leader in your life you have NO reason to be afraid anymore, especially of man or unGodly voices in your life. Listen to the Holy Spirit, His voice brings peace. Trust the word of God and let it light your pathway.

Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. I John 4:4

A fellow traveler,

Tammy Trent

P.S. Our (Trent and my’s) new children’s book, THE LOG FAMILY is currently at the printer. Yay. I’ll keep you posted and will make an announcement as soon as the first shipment arrives. You will be the first to order it here before it ever hits the stores. "

The Daily Beast - Blogs and Stories

Why Business Hates Obama: "Financial reform might irk Wall Street, but the president's real problem is with small businesses-the engine of any serious recovery. Joel Kotkin on what he could have done differently.
The stock market, with some fits and starts, has surged since..."

The Point

Challenge 2010 - Verse 14: "14 verses!! We are well over halfway and on the downhill slide toward 24 Bible verses memorized in 2010. Yee haw!!! Ya'll, we have done good!! Even if you have only memorized 11 or 9 or 5, you have still done good, my friend. Keep it up. You will never be sorry that you exerted this effort to learn God's Word. You never know when you will need one of those verses on the spur of the moment, so keep memorizing.

This is a short and, hopefully, sweet post, because for some unexplained reason I am battling a bit of vertigo. What the heck??? Where did that come from? Anyway, I'm gonna go see if I can do something to stop this blasted stuff from becoming worse while ya'll leave your verses in the comments. But first, here's my 14th verse:

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Have a great weekend, friends.

"

Wild Olive Tees - Get Your Verse On!

new arrivals!: "

Our new ‘beloved’ is here. In azalea with a deep plum flower, ‘beloved’ has had a makeover… just in time for summer.

We have also redesigned ‘chosen’ for girls. Available in sizes 2, 4 and 6. ‘Chosen’, on a soft pink tee, is all girl. Daisies and even a hint of pink glitter.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer season!"

Faith Imagined

Foot Promise: "

Instead of dividing time by years, I try to envision all existence as one beautiful gift. Life is a single, intricate creation, bound together by a name that we tend to whisper about –Jesus, Messiah, Christ, Lord. Jesus was at God’s side during our world’s inception, He hung on the cross at its redemption and, finally, He’ll break through the skies at its completion.

Jesus stands firmly in the center of creation, watching as His divine purpose comes to fruition. He takes small but amazing pieces of His will and places them at His feet. They are called His promises. Then He puts the desire for those promises in each of us.

The promises are beyond our abilities, but we are drawn to them like a magnet to metal. The world tries to sidetrack us with tantalizing distractions that urge us to wander. As we seek Jesus, though, He compels us forward by faith.

We struggle onward in a life that isn’t easy. We learn to rely on the joy, peace and hope found in the core of God’s spirit in us as Christians. We slowly loosen our grip on the world, and we walk into the unknown, holding onto the only truth that we can rely on: We are loved. Though our bodies, minds and hearts grow weary, our souls attain eternal rest in Him.

When we finally arrive at our promises, we realize that they were only the lures. We walked by faith to the feet of Jesus, and He skimmed off our sin in the process. We now understand the purpose of our pain and the significance of our struggle. We look up at the face of Jesus and hand Him the weight of our promises, and He pulls us up into the power, the majesty and the beauty of His glory.

"

Desiring God Blog

Meet Tullian Tchividjian: "

(Author: Jonathan Parnell)

Tullian Tchividjian (cha-vi-jin) will lead one of the seminars at this year's National Conference. His session is entitled, 'Giving Thought to Gospel 'Math': Why Jesus + Nothing = Everything.'

Tullian is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and the author of three books:

• Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different,


• Do I Know God?: Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship,

and most recently,

• Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels.

He is also a contributor to the forthcoming book, Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (set to release January 31, 2011).

Tullian writes regularly at On Earth as it is in Heaven, another blog on The Gospel Coalition site alongside those of conference speakers Thabiti Anyabwile and Kevin DeYoung. He's also on Twitter (@PastorTullian).

Tullian is a graduate of Columbia International University and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He is the husband of Kim, the dad of Gabe, Nate, and Genna, and the grandson of Billy Graham. To hear the amazing story of how Jesus saved Tullian, check out his interview with Justin Taylor.

Register for our National Conference now to see Tullian this October.

Other 2010 National Conference Speakers

• Thabiti Anyabwile


• Francis Chan


• Randy Alcorn


• Kevin DeYoung


• R. C. Sproul


• Albert Mohler"
  
  

Christian Book Press

CBP Illustrator Stephen Von Mason Makes Waves with his Students: "

For children, being creative and exploring new things is a vital part of learning and growing. Children's Book Press illustrator Stephen Von Mason (Brother Anansi and the Cattle Ranch, Just Like Me, Honoring Our Ancestors) gave his 5th and 6th grade students at the Making Waves Academy in Richmond, CA the opportunity to write, illustrate, and bind their own books recently. The children started by writing a story planner, and ended up with a final book bound on rag paper with their own color illustrations.

Explaining the importance of persistence and dedication in completing a difficult project, Stephen says, "When they were finished many said, Wow...this was hard. They learned life lessons that projects like this are long and arduous and it takes hard work and focus to finish a job and come out on top."

Stephen's students also were inspired by Children's Book Press titles. He says, "Many, many students read CBP when they were younger... Mr. Sugar Came to Town, Brother Anansi, Invisible Hunters, Family Pictures, and more...CBP inspired them a great deal."

Teachers and Children's Book Press donated books to be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners in each class. You can see the winning covers below.

read more"

Breast Cancer News

Male BRCA2 Carriers Have Increased Lifetime Risk of Breast Cancer: "Men who carry the BRCA2 genetic mutation have a 7.1% chance of developing breast cancer by age 70 and an 8.6% chance of developing the disease by age 80, according to the results of a study published early online in ..."

Book Crazy

The Hunted of 2060 by Ami Blackwelder - MiniView: "

I was transported 50 years into the future, while reading The Hunted of 2060; it's a fast paced, thrill ride, with a fresh take on what the future could hold.

Synopsis via goodreads:
Set in Alaska 2060. 3 Lovers. 2 Species. 1 Way to Survive.

Summary: Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.

The plot of The Hunted of 2060, is original, Ami's take on shapeshifters was wild – I loved the twisted way they came to be, and with The Rogue Militia after them, it's a plot that's intense, interesting and intriguing. The Hunted of 2060 left me breathless, most of the time...

A plot which I can honestly say, I adored however sadly, I found the writing to be a bit clunky. It's tough to describe exactly, but sometimes I just felt as though the story was not flowing together, but rather being thrust towards me. Instead of a fluid pace and story I felt as though I was reading on the rapids, with sentences coming at me, only to stop mid way, and fall back. I just found myself wanting more, mostly just more “rounding” of the plot as well as the characters.

Another thing that I found myself having a hard time with, is the names of the characters themselves – there are 2 characters in particular that are pivotal to the plot, which I found myself struggling to tell apart. I am sure that's just me, of course, but it bugged me!

Bottom Line – though I have pointed out some of the things I did not particularly like, I will end on a high note. The story itself is rot with high adventure, a beautiful love story, and lots of action. I found myself turning page after page in order to find out what would happen next! The world that Ami Blackwelder brought to life, though I wish might have been more full, did offer a interesting take on the future, you can tell this author has one HECK of a vivid and wild imagination! I will look forward to reading more from her in the future! I give The Hunted of 2060 3 mushrooms!

The Hunted of 2060
By: Ami Blackwelder
300 Pages
Published: April 16, 2010
Publisher: Creative Endeavors
Received via Ami Blackwelder for my honest review, Thank you!

Copyright © 2009 - 2010 Jennifer Sprague @ Book Crazy. All material is original unless otherwise stated.

"

American Dabetes Association

FDA Faces Avandia Decision: "A panel of outside medical experts is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pulling the type 2 diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) from the U.S. market."

5 Minutes For Books

The Center of the Universe: "

I happen to a big fan of the memoir genre, especially when the writer skillfully relates a true story in a manner that reads like creative fiction. Having devoured everything by David Sedaris, I approached Nancy Bachrach’s The Center of the Universe with excitement because of the multiple comparisons to Sedaris’ wry and witty works.

While I found myself laughing and reading in amazement at the story laid out, I think I would be more inclined to compare Bachrach’s style to that of Augusten Burroughs, with a remarkable ability to convey a family history of pain without sorrowful remorse, but instead with a large dose of dark humor. Chronicling her mother’s story, including family secrets and a history beyond just “colorful,” Bachrach opens a window on mental illness, from the perspective of an observant and thoughtful daughter.

After a serious accident, whose “accidentalness” depends somewhat on how you define the word itself, Bachrach’s father dies at an unexpectedly early age, and her mother’s recovery is a long shot. Uncertainty about what recovery would mean for a woman with a lifelong history of significant mental illness bonds Bachrach with her brother and sister, as they step into care taking roles as their mother defies all medical predictions, and they must learn to navigate a whole new road in their relationship with her, a road that’s been anything but smooth their whole lives.

A memoir that can chronicle observations of a mentally ill mother and the subsequent different-than-average perspective on relationships and the world at large is a powerful thing, but one that can do it with a sublime sense of humor is remarkable. Bachrach’s tone sometimes appears detached, while at other times is painfully entrenched in the emotional upheaval of the universe revolving around her mother, yet never falls into the realm of ‘woe-is-me.’ One can almost see the smirk on her face as she presents this utterly incredible story of a wild family history that includes systemic abuse, mental illness, and more than its fair share of covering it all up, because it seems as if all they have left is the ability to have a few chuckles and wonder at it all, or else who knows where they would be.

The Center of the Universe is a painful, yet so very funny, memoir that left me shaking my head in amazement that people can survive experiences such as these.

Dawn’s life wouldn’t make for a very interesting memoir, but it does provide some fun blog posts on my thoughts exactly.

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Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day

Colossians 2:9-10: "“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”"

GET OUTTA MY FACE! How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel

Parents, Pastors, Counselors…

Share Faith

Talk is Cheap – Teaching Your Congregation to Become Doers of the Word: "

There’s a reason why the Bible says, “but be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Our typical Sunday experience is to slide in to church, get a spiritual buzz, and slip on out–unchanged, unscathed, unchallenged. Is that how it is meant to be? Obviously not, but with the hearing and not doing pandemic being so widespread, there must be some way to improve. Is there?

Preach the Word

Leaders don’t grow people spiritually. God does that. Leaders are given to the church to equip the people for maturity. There is a difference. The way this happens is by consistent, Bible-centered teaching. Face it. The command from James 1:22 is impossible to obey unless people are actually hearing the Word. Preach the Word so people can hear the Word. Then, they can do the Word.

Member Ministry

One of the core components a healthy and mature church is that they are actively involved in ministry (Eph 4:12). What does that mean? That means that the church’s leadership are not the main players in church ministry. The people of the church are. Ephesians 4:12 teaches that growth happens only when people are actively ministering. The context of James 1:22, the “hear and do” passage suggests the very same. In order to hear and do, your people must be actively involved in ministry.

Pray

God answers prayer. Daily, specific, continual prayer for your people is so important. Prayer demonstrates your love and commitment to them. Prayer changes things. Prayer will be instrumental in God helping your church members to be doers, not just hearers.

Week-long Interaction

The ministry of church should continue beyond the hour-and-a-half Sunday morning. Small group meetings, email, Facebook, Twitter, and fellowship all contribute to the sustained spiritual influence of the church and the growth-producing interaction that results when Christian people interact on spiritual issues. Doing the word, not merely hearing, comes about through persistent reminder and kind exhortations.

Encourage the Reading of the Word

Bible reading is God’s means of spiritual growth in people. In order to become doers of the Word, people must have intake of the Word. Encourage your people to read the Bible regularly. Provide free Bible reading schedules for their use. Have a weekly memory verse. Stressing the need for daily Bible intake will contribute toward doers, not merely hearers.

Apply the Word

How can people become doers of the Word if they don’t know how to do the Word. Preaching that never gets below the surface meaning of the text will fail to change lives. A skilled preacher knows how to teach the truths of the Bible and apply them to daily life in the modern world. This is the most difficult part of preaching. A preacher is not entitled to impose his own opinions on people, but true biblical application is not an imposition of opinions. It is an explanation of the application of the timeless Word. Specific application is crucial if people are to become doers and not merely hearers.

Sharefaith is geared to help you do just that–in whatever way we can. The media that we provide is helping over 16,000 churches with their media needs. Check it out to see how it might help you in your ministry.

"

Sacramento Parent

Homeless Kids Find Heroes Within

Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day

Matthew 24:35: "“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”"

Health News

Childhood Obesity: On the Rise and Parents in Denial: "

Young children do not get fat all on their own, they have help from a variety of sources, including the lack of physical education in schools, lack of play time and play areas, and too many calories served at home. But many parents turn a blind eye to the fact that their children are overweight and becoming unhealthy adults.

read more"

Home Sanctuary

July Announcement: "

I apologize for posting late this morning! I hope ya'll will still be able to link up over the weekend - the US's big independence weekend!

I'll post June's winners on MONDAY....yay! Can't wait for that.

First, a small announcement: I will be taking a vacation from posting Daily Small Things for the month of July.

Tears! Crying! Anguish! Oh Sorry, I need to pull myself together.

I know, I hate to do this....but this month finds me in the throws of a
huge work project, finishing up the horse murals, trying to help my son
get his driver's license, hoping to go out of town AND hosting my parent's 50th anniversary. I am also speaking at two women's retreat this fall and am preparing for those. Yikes, that's a lotta stuff.

Now, I will still continue Company Girl Coffee on Fridays, and I will mostly likely post randomly every now and then - so I won't be completely off the grid. And you can still find me at Going Beyond. But for my family's sake, I felt that I need to access the 1-2 hours per day they graciously allow me to sit and write this blog - for other things.

SO! I will miss our daily silliness for the next four weeks, but I know you'll understand. If you are a new Company Girl, please hang in there with me and I'll be back with the Small Things before you know it.

Let's get on with Coffee! Simply link up below to invite people to your blog - and find other blogs to go and visit. These are the nicest, funnest girls on the web, and it is my pleasure to be able to host a virtual "coffee time" each week. All of our non-bloggers are invited to chat in the comment section - and we really like that!!"

Max Lucado Daily

An Imperfect Family: "

“Jesus had to be made like his brothers . . . so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest.” Hebrews 2:17

Jesus displays the bad apples of his family tree in the first chapter of the New Testament . . . Rahab was a Jericho

harlot . . . David had a personality as irregular as a Picasso painting—one day writing Psalms, another day seducing his captain’s wife. But did Jesus erase his name from the list? Not at all . . .

If your family tree has bruised fruit, then Jesus wants you to know, “I’ve been there.”"

Tabitha's Team

Book Review: God's Healing for Life's Losses: "

'We live in a fallen world and it often falls on us,' Dr. Kellemen of RPM Ministries explains in God's Healing for Life's Losses.

This has become one of my favorite quotes.

We've all been hit by pieces of this world, and sometimes the blow is harder than others. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, the loss of a dream, or simply an unexpected change in our circumstances, we can be left with a wound that we can't even describe. This is the kind of wound that causes your soul to hurt on the inside with physical pain.

We call it grief.

So how does this book help?

Dr. Kellemen does not assume that a couple of scripture verses and a prayer will make everything all better. But he also doesn't leave you empty-handed.

God's Healing for Life's Losses leads us into healing by challenging a process most of us are familiar with.

Even if we have never studied the subject, most of us have heard of the five stages of grief. Whether we learned them in college or by watching our favorite TV show, the five stages of grief have almost become common knowledge: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

There is one problem - this process is simply a description; an observation of what typically happens to someone who is experiencing grief. There really is nothing intentional about it. If we just let life happen to us, this is typically how we will respond.

However, as Christians, we know we have a sovereign, loving God who doesn't want us to just let life happen to us. In the midst of our confusion, we can go to his Word and find the examples that he gave us on how to seek him for healing. We can be intentional about the process.

This book gives us the direction to start on that journey by outlining God's process for grief recovery: candor, complaint, cry, comfort, and growth. Don't worry; this is not a quick 5-step magical program. It is more like a road map to help you on your journey, even if you have to wander back a few times.

If you like to journal, you will love the questions that are asked throughout the book as prompts for you to journal your thoughts, feelings, and ultimately your journey to healing.

If you have a friend who experiencing grief or depression, this would be a great gift.

Would you like the chance to win a free copy? Leave a comment on this post. Twelve commenters will be selected from the blog tour reviews to receive a free copy from the author.

God’s Healing for Life’s Losses is the first book ever officially endorsed by GriefShare. Dr. Kellemen shares his connection with this organization:

Griefshare produces a small group video series used in thousands of churches across the world. It is a ministry of the larger group, Church Initiative, founded by Steve Grissom. Several years ago they updated their video series and asked me to participate. I connected with Steve and with their VP, Sam Hodges. When God’s Healing for Life’s Losses was in the first draft stage, Sam and Steve read it and got very excited. They both appreciated the combination of compassionate care that did not minimize the pain of suffering with the focus on Christ-centered, biblically-based hope. Sam graciously wrote a recommendation, Steve graciously penned an endorsement, and my publisher, BMH Books, and GriefShare agreed to have this book become the first book ever officially endorsed by GriefShare. It’s our joint prayer that the GriefShare video and God’s Healing for Life’s Losses could be used together to assist 1000s of churches and para-church groups as they minister to hurting people.

As part of the blog tour for the release of this book, a copy of this book was provided to me by Dr. Kellemen in exchange for my honest review."

Tabitha's Team

The Working Mom Question - Stereotypes and Assumptions: "Today begins a new blog series that I introduced last week in the post, Is It Okay for Christian Moms to Work Outside the Home?. You may want to start there if you haven't read it yet.

As promised, I am going to start with a good look at those awful stereotypes. I will examine the myths on both sides of the issue. I can do this easily, because I have been on both sides of the issue. In eighteen years of marriage and fourteen plus years of motherhood I have seen it all.

I have been a tight-budgeted stay-at-home mom who makes everything from scratch to save money. I have been a full-time working mom who eats out 3 or 4 nights a week because I don't have time or energy to cook. I've prepared large meals that were part of a menu-plan, and I've walked in the door and popped Kids Cuisine in the microwave.

I have worked well-paying sales jobs, hourly call-center and assistant jobs, and even worked in a hot warehouse for a very short period of time, all while being a mom. I have experienced daycare and pre-school and juggling shifts as well as waking up and spending the entire day focused on my children.

My days have included meeting the play group at the park and meeting the networking group at the country club.

You probably won't agree with me throughout this whole series; however, you can't tell me that I don't understand where you are coming from.

So lets start with the working mom. It seems that in the church, some have a tendency to see all working moms as ultra-feminist, self-absorbed women who are working because they think that women should break the traditional role that was wrongly imposed on them by men. The church makes snarky comments about promotions and bonuses, indicating that this is what the working woman is out for. She does not think about her kids because she is too busy thinking about herself. (Okay, I am generalizing and picking on the church a little, but they will be defended as we look at the fear that fuels this tomorrow).

I'm sure some of these women exist in the world, but I have never met one. I have met 2 types of women in the workplace:

1 - The mom who enjoys her job so thoroughly that you just know she is living out her calling. She has a low level of stress and seems to handle family time, school events, and birthday parties better than I did as a stay-at-home mom. She sets a pleasant tone in her home, and smiles often. Although life doesn't always fit together perfectly, she handles it beautifully. Her family thrives because she is thriving. She is energized by what she is doing, and it energizes everyone around her. I feel the energy from moms like this - you can't help smiling and feeling good in their presence.

2 - The mom who cries often on her way to work because she really doesn't want to leave. She needs to work at the moment, and she has accepted that fact and does her best with everything, working as unto the Lord. She also makes time for her family, but the ease of spirit is not the same. There is a lot of guilt and stress. She is working on figuring out a way to be home someday.

So what about the stay-at-home mom? To hear some talk, she just didn't have what it took in school to go on and build a career. She is an uneducated freeloader who sits on the couch eating chocolate and watching soap operas. This is the type of woman who is at home because she did not really have the 'smarts' to do anything else. 'Poor thing, she will always be dependent on someone else.'

Again, I'm sure there is a woman out there who fits that description, but I've never met one. I've met a couple different types of stay-at-home moms:

1 - The mom who has always dreamed of being a mom and being a full-time homemaker. She sees this as her full time job, and she works it like one. She's very smart and creative, and uses her wisdom to make good economical decisions, always looking for ways to save her family money. She is a natural homemaker and having a desire to do anything else would be completely foreign to her. She is working her dream job.

2 - The mom who has spent time in her career, and was even very successful at it. She is well aware that her skills and experience could easily land her a great postition. And she might just do that one day... But for now, she has chosen to be a full time mom because it is important to her and she is able to. She might have been brought up with the notion that 'smart girls' go to college and get good jobs, but she has learned that 'smart girls' don't have to be a slave to that ideal. She can do what she enjoys most, and that happens to be staying home and focusing on her family right now. She will have to take the 'mommy track' looks from her former co-workers, and again in another season of life when she returns to work, but that is a sacrifice she is willing to make. She is fully enjoying her current job as a homemaker.

We haven't even touched on single moms, part time workers, and those who work at home or run their own businesses.

You might fit into one of these categories completely, or you might see a bit of yourself across a few. The difference between working your dream job and barely getting through the day can have some effect on the answer to the 'right question' that we discussed (Should you work outside the home?)

You might not fit in these categories at all, as technology today allows for all kinds of creative arrangements. Even the SAHM bloggers are working part time as writers, even if they are not paid.

So what is the heart of this matter? I believe that is motherhood, our beliefs about its importance, and our worries about where it is going. So tomorrow, we will focus on the value of motherhood, and how it fits in to our different lifestyles.

What kind of assumptions have people made about you? Have you ever made an assumption about someone else, and found out that you were completely wrong as you got to know her better?"

The Point

Fresh Fruit: "

I believe, with all my heart, that a natural outgrowth of a deepening relationship with Jesus should be that we look more like Him. In recent days, the Holy Spirit has had my mind on the fruit of the Spirit. He has caused me to step back and consider how my life should look as these fruit mature. Today I want to take a few paragraphs and share with you the reminders that He has given me concerning a life that is brimming with fresh fruit of the Spirit.

I wish I could say that my life currently evidences all the following things, but alas, it does not. There are definitely a few of these fruit that are still pretty green in my life. Join me as we think about fresh, mature fruit.

If my life evidences LOVE, I will:

• Not think more highly of myself than I ought
• Love others, not because of what they do or who they are, but because they are someone who is loved by Christ
• Be generous
  

If my life evidences JOY, I will

• Live above my circumstances, not under them
• Not carry my feelings around on my shoulders
• Make clear that Jesus, rather than earthly riches, is the source of my joy
  
  

If my life evidences PEACE, I will

• Trust God’s heart, no matter what He allows into my life
• Not despair at the condition of our world OR my aging body
• Rejoice at the successes of others

If my life evidences PATIENCE, I will

• Not grow irritable when a loved one repeats something for the forty-seventh time
• Wait on God’s timing, rather than try to make things happen on my own
• Allow God to work in the lives of others without my interference

If my life evidences KINDNESS, I will

• Have compassion for those who are struggling, either because of their own choices or in spite of them
• Not always think about what is best for me
• Treat others gently, yet sometimes with tough love

If my life evidence GOODNESS, I will

• Strive to have a character that is above reproach
• Always tell the truth---in love
• Refrain from gossip and backbiting

If my life evidences FAITHFULNESS, I will

• Be faithful to my husband and my marriage
• Be loyal to my Lord and to my friends
• Keep my word and be trustworthy

If my life evidences GENTLENESS, I will

• Be humble and gracious, especially when others are not humble or gracious to me
• Remember that it is NOT always all about me
• Submit to God’s will in all situations

If my life evidences SELF-CONTROL, I will

• Put a muzzle on my tongue more often than I do
• Not waste time on the computer or television
• Take care of my body; the temple of God on this earth

Perhaps some of these spoke to you with either confirmation or conviction. Most assuredly, I need to work on many of them. I have chosen to limit each category to three evidences because I would like to hear from you. What do you have to add to these lists of evidences of the fruit of the Spirit?

"

Willis Wired

What is Preaching?: "

Ihave been chewing on the question, what is preaching, for a while. Is preaching simply teaching people about the Bible or giving an inspirational message, or is it more than that?

This isn’t an exhaustive discussion on the nature of preaching, of course, but I’ve been thinking about preaching as communicating, proclaiming (i.e., good news), teaching, farming (breaking up, planting seeds, watering, etc.), leading, vision-casting, and even battling (i.e., spiritual warfare).

I preach using sermon series and I’ve always tended to think/plan in terms of two major categories: (1) church/mission and (2) spiritual growth/formation. But as I understand it, Adam Hamilton uses five types of sermon series that he works through over time …

1. Fishing series, to attract/connect with unchurched people


2. Discipleship series, to help people grow spiritually


3. Pastoral Care series, to provide biblical counseling


4. Equipping series, to offer ministry development/training


5. Strengthening series, to focus on vision

Preaching is important because God’s Word is crucial in the life of the church!

I love the quote in my recent post, Favorite Tweets 1.0 …

The only reason to give a speech is to change the world. (Nick Morgan)

I was also challenged by the quote by A.W. Tozer …

Any sermon that is not birthed in prayer is not a message from God no matter how learned the preacher.

I think of the prophet Jeremiah who felt as if God’s message was a fire in his bones, or the prophet Ezekiel who spoke to a valley of dry bones that came back to life again!

What if every preacher had that sense of urgency? (Ah, I think I need to add “urgency” to my Desperate Preachers Prayer Guide.) What would happen if changing the world and awakening lost/lukewarm souls was the purpose of every sermon and the goal of every preacher?

That’s what John Wesley, who said the following, longed for …

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergy[persons] or lay[persons]; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth.

If you’re a preacher, (in addition to prayer and reading God’s Word) how do you gain/maintain a sense of urgency in preaching?"

Ya Only Live Once......A Survivors Journey

News from Kim: "Hello all,

Another update on my stage IV breast cancer journey. Monday I received mixed results from last week's scans. A couple of chest lymph nodes actually decreased in size, while a nodule in my left lung increased slightly. My tumor marker (CA 27-29) remains somewhat stable at 32 (1 up from 31 2-1/2 months ago, yet still within the normal range of 0-38.) Dr. Green deemed the results not conclusive enough to move on to the next level of treatment. Not significant enough growth to discontinue the use of my current med. Once we put a drug behind us, there is no going back to it. And the more drugs we put behind us, the less there are in front. Once you've used up all available treatment options, well ... clearly it's not good.

However, Dr. Green was very concerned about the marble-sized lump I discovered a couple of months ago on my back left rib. We looked at it on the chest CT scan and yep, there it was, between my skin and ribs. Not on the ribs. There was no mention of it in the radiologist's report (x-ray and CT scan) -- quite disconcerting to me, especially since I had mentioned the finding to both the x-ray technician and the CT technician. I had also specifically requested that the CT scan tech place a note on my chart/films so that the radiologist reading the scan would be aware of the new issue and could take a closer look (to which she replied 'Oh they look at everything.') I said that regardless, I would appreciate it if she would put a note or mention it to the radiologist, since it was new and I was concerned about it. Evidently, either she didn't do as I requested (bad enough,) OR, the radiologist didn't pay attention to the note. In any event, the radiologist failed to notice the nodule. There was no mention of it in the CT scan report. Thankfully, it was palpable enough and slightly tender so that I found it myself and reported it to Dr. Green.

Dr. Green felt the lump and was definitely concerned. She recommended an ultrasound with a possible fine needle aspiration (fna) biopsy. She said that if the lump was found to be more cancer, then she would definitely change my medication from Aromasin (daily by mouth) to Faslodex (an injection, not sure how often,) and it was scheduled for 3 days ahead, which brings us to today.

Today I went for an ultrasound of the nodules on my left flank area (a much more medical term than left back rib area!) First the ultrasound tech simply scanned the area while I laid on my stomach. The bad news was that she actually found 3 nodules instead of 1! One large one, one medium, and a third that she said was small and 'indistinct.' She left to show the radiologist the ultrasound results, and returned to inform me that yes, a biopsy was definitely indicated in this case since the nodules appeared to be solid. Okay. Danny wasn't allowed in the ultrasound room with me, but when the tech left to prepare for the biopsy, I texted him and my sister to keep them up on the latest news, and also so I wouldn't just lay there and cry. My last needle biopsy was not pleasant, but this time I wouldn't be watching the screen like last time. I told myself I would never do that again, as it was really traumatic to watch while feeling it too. The radiologist came in and explained what was going to be done. I asked her what other conditions the nodules could be if they weren't cancer. She said that if they were closer to the skin, they could be neuromas, but they weren't close the skin. She said that her list of things it could be besides cancer was short, but there was a slim chance that it was something else (but she couldn't name anything.) I said 'What, some new disease that you can put your name on for discovering it?' which got everyone in the room to laugh. Back to the business at hand ... first she numbed the area with lidocaine, an anesthetic that is injected into the tissue. THAT hurt! Then came the needle to actually perform the biopsy, which wasn't so bad but for a few brief, painful moments. Unfortunately she did not get enough tissue during the initial FNA and had to do it again! Ugggghhhh! It was nothing nice! After that, Danny was allowed into the room, where we waited for the pathologist to return with some 'preliminary' results from the cytology lab. Not surprisingly, based on my earlier conversation with the radiologist, the tissue was confirmed to be malignant -- what she called 'metastatic deposits' in the muscle. Very disappointing, to say the least! They will run all the usual pathology on the tissue, including ER, PR, and HER2 testing. I will see Dr. Green next week, when we'll discuss my next treatment options. I suppose that will ultimately depend on what the pathology report says.

I am glad they will be running more of my tumors through the pathology process. An estimated 20% of HER2 negative tumors will convert to HER2 positive at some point in the metastatic disease process. Not sure if convert is the right word to use, but what I'm saying is that since my cancer was HER2 negative before, there's a 20% chance it may be positive now ... Which, in my opinion, may be helpful in that there would actually be more treatment options for me than strictly the estrogen-related ones. More options sounds good to me!

Well, that is all for now. Another setback, but again we are waiting for more test results before we'll know what's next.

Thanks for reading, and for the prayers.
Kim"

Barnes and Noble-Unbound Nook

Free Fridays!: "

The James-Younger Gang’s failed bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota not only signaled the end of the infamous marauders – 3 of the outlaws were killed, the Youngers were captured, and the James boys were on the run – the botched raid is often considered “the last major event of the American Civil War”.

Johnny D. Boggs’ novel rendering of this iconic episode, which is told from several first person perspectives, is a truly fascinating look at history and the hell-raisers who defined it.

Download Northfield free for a very limited time.

Boggs epitomizes the Western writer and his recent book, Killstraight, was hailed as an 'an instant page-turner' by the late Tony Hillerman.

NOOK owners: go to shop, and search “Johnny D. Boggs” for a list of his books."