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Finally Here

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Hello to one and all. I have not fallen off the face of the earth, just off the face of cyberspace. We were having Internet issues and had to return our USB Internet which allows us access to the Internet anywhere while on the road, even places where there is no wireless Internet, and wait for our new one. Once that happened, I have only had brief glimpses of time to check my E-mail.

We are currently in the good ol‘ Buckeye state on deputation. We are parked in Rittman, Ohio and will be headed to the Columbus and Cincinnati areas for the next two weeks. After that we are in Wolverine country. My only hope is that I have enough OSU clothes for my boys to wear everyday while in Michigan=)

Gentry is so adorable. While we celebrate and remember a horrible day in our nations history today, September 11, Gentry marks the 9 month milestone in his life. He is hilarious. What 9 month old do you know that says “Amen” and “Thank You”. I think we have him in church too often. He raises his little hands up and shouts out Amen quite frequently. Even a photographer at JcPenney portrait studio commented on Gentry’s verbal abilities. She gave me quite the compliment though and said that he must be from a very polite family to already be able to say “Thank You” at 9 months old.

We were in the Cleveland area the first couple of days this week. What a joy to be able to spend time in the city that God has called us too. While there, we made several contacts and really enjoyed the friendliness of all the citizens. I had to chuckle to myself while thinking of the book “How to win friends and influence people”. I know that every moment and second of every day in Cleveland will be a strategic time for me to pour of myself into some body’s life, build relationships, and hopefully lead them to a full walk in Christ. I was teasing my husband on my friend building and witnessing techniques and thought I would share them with you.

Technique #5:
Rear end somebody with your car. This will force you to have common ground to discuss and build a relationship where one might not have existed before. Think of all the contacts you can get with this technique. You can meet the driver and passengers of the car, the police officers, the insurance adjusters, rental car personnel, and body shop technicians.

Technique #4:
Plant a small insect into your food at a neighborhood diner. This technique will draw attention to your table and cause numerous customers to comment on your situation. Again, this creates common ground and an open door for communication. You can befriend the waiter, the customers, the health inspector, and possibly even a lawyer.

Technique #3:
Acquire Parking Tickets. This technique we actually tried while in North Olmsted unfortunately. We were not strategic in using this idea because my mother, a current resident of North Olmsted/ Cleveland, assured us that parking on the street was perfectly legal and we wouldn’t get a ticket. We came out the next morning and had to flush $15 down the toilet. Oh well, at least it is $15 invested into the community of our calling. After this, we were able to meet several people at the police station and the idea of parking illegally became a soul winning technique.

Technique #2:
Grow really long hair, a shaggy beard, wear no shoes, yell things at people, and eat locust. So many churches are invested into old fashioned, traditional techniques that have little bearing on 21st century people that I thought why not go really old fashioned? Adopt the John the Baptist lifestyle and surely you will win friends, be offered jobs, and lead folks to Christ.

Technique #1:
Unleash the power of Reese. Reese has the uncanny ability to meet everyone at every place that we go to. Reese’s very presence somewhere goes noticed by everyone. I theorize that if I completely stop disciplining him and let him do whatever he wants and be left to his own devices I would open many doors for our family. We may come into contact eventually with planned parenthood, juvenile services, local psychiatrists, the school principals, and possibly through those contacts grow our church.

Disclaimer: These techniques are for joking purposes only. Any attempts to use them in church growth planning, job hunting, or friend winning can and will be used against you in a court of law.

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The role of a Parent

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With all of the recent press on Sarah Palin, the republican Vice Presidential Candidate for office, it has come to the attention of the media and the American public to judge the parenting skills and marriage of this Alaskan Governor. With 5 children ranging in age from around 20 to newborn, obviously the Palin’s have a lot on their plate. Those of us with children understand that you can’t control every decision and choice that your children make. My oldest is 3 years old and already, for quite some time, he has asserted his own free will and ability to make decisions and choices. Even with consistent discipline and daily prayer, Reese has to make the correct choices for himself. Believe me if I had the power to choose between loud, rambunctious behavior and quite obedience, I would choose the latter. However, no parent has that option. Not even God, our heavenly father made us to be robots in response to His will and desires. Governor Palin has been facing scrutiny over her down syndrome infant and her pregnant, unwed daughter. My question is why are we focusing so strongly on her family issues when I am sure that hundreds of male presidential candidates and politicians have children that have made incorrect decisions? I’m assuming that the American people aren’t as ready for a female executive as they think they are. Although, a female perspective is probably what this country needs.

The role of a parent is to lead, guide, instruct, love, rebuke, accept, and pray for your children. Whether the parent is a mother or a father, the role is huge and is the most important role that a human being can fill if they choose to have children. Just like the Bible speaks of nothing gained if you have the whole world and lose your own soul, a life well lived only truly matters if your own children are prepared for heaven. In spite of this major life truth, there comes a time when every person chooses their own way and you can’t force someone to make the correct choice.

Parents, recognize the importance of time spent together as a family and understand that it doesn’t matter if you are the father or the mother. No one role is more important than the other. A child ideally needs both parents to experience the full understanding of who God is in their life. The Bible says that God created man in his own image and in His image he created male and female. Both males and females display the attributes of God and children need to see that as well.
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As the World Turns

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Last night was confirmation to me that the world continues to turn, things continue to succeed, and life goes on without me. Of course I knew this to be true already and have continued to grow and change myself. I am entering a new season of ministry and anointing in my life that I feel to be a direct result of following the call and am experiencing new levels in my personal and spiritual life that I never would have been blessed with if I had become complacent.

We returned to New Life Church in Marietta, Ohio last night as “guest” speakers. How strange it is to be a guest in your own home. I grew up in Marietta and have been part of New Life Church since my birth. I continue to be part of New Life from a distance and have a definite interest in its success and growth. This blog is not really insightful or humorous, just more reflective of a life well lived and an era of new beginnings. Having been a bittersweet week for me, I enjoyed rekindling old friendships and seeing familiar faces in my home last night. This week marks the anniversary of my fathers death and the passing of another one of his birthday’s without his presence on this earth. Because of this fact, visiting my “home” church was especially interesting for me last night. The years that I didn’t live in Marietta in the past, coming home was natural. My dad was the pastor of the church and I was able to visit my parents. Now, I no longer have any blood relatives in Marietta, Ohio, however, the family ties that I have here go deeper than blood. I am thrilled to see the great things that God is doing in Marietta and at New Life and look forward to hearing the great reports. I can be happy with the fact that I know that through the work, pastoral dedication, and sacrifice of my parents and our work and organization as the pastors there, a foundation and structure exists in the hearts and lives of souls in the mid-Ohio valley and seeds have been planted in other lives that will germinate and grow. The law of the harvest is that some plant, some water, but it is God that brings the increase. No human structure or person can do what only God can do.

As God continues to perform miracles in our lives and blesses our church plant in Cleveland, Ohio, it is a success story that those at New Life can rejoice in. God called us and sent us and it is exciting to do his bidding. It is just too bad that the house we lived in in Marietta is no longer saved. The new owners are flying a Purdue flag and we all know you have to be a Buckeye’s fan to go to heaven=)
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Politics and the Church

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With all eyes on the Democrat National Convention this week in Denver and the impending Vice Presidential selection announcement from John McCain, I have been thinking a lot this week about politics and the church. Unlike other Christian writers and commentators, I have not been thinking about politics in terms of who I feel is right or wrong for a christian to vote for, but rather about the lessons that politics can teach the American church about what Americans are desiring and striving for. Whether or not you feel that the church is an appropriate platform to voice political views and endorse candidates, we are all affected by the countries choice of leadership. In a monumental race where history has been made with both an African-American presidential nominee for a major party and a woman almost being nominated, I feel that it is time for the church to take a serious look at the platforms of both political parties and what it can teach us about making our churches a place with a message that will attract the American people. Regardless of which side of politics that you stand on, the speeches and strategy employed by both parties can teach us all a lesson.

Just a few nights ago, Michelle Obama gave a speech highlighting her role as mother, wife, and advocate. It seems that in both parties political strategies, family values and perceived family strength is a huge factor that Americans are looking for. Even political families that have been torn apart by infidelity and scandal continue the public image of strength and unity. Women stand beside their politician husbands that have been caught in prostitution scandal, affairs, and philandering. In the real world, many women would not publicly go to support a husband caught purchasing prostitutes. However, in the political world, we have an image to live up to in the American dream. People desire a strong family bond in the 21st century. It is still the ideal for children to live in a home with both a father and a mother. Regardless of which side that you stand on, both republicans and democrats agree in speeches that being a devoted parent and partner is realizing the American dream. The church should create a place where families can be strengthened, taught, supported, and ministered too. If both major political parties feel that it is necessary to at least attempt to have an image of the strong family unit, it must be a pretty important political strategy. How much more should the church strategize to not only have the image of strong families, but be the place where families grow together, stay together, pray together, and reach out to our communities together? The church should be the place where we not only have the image of strong families, but where faithful, devoted families actually exist.

Another monstrous political platform is the economy. Again, it doesn’t matter what side of the political coin you are on, a strong or struggling economy affects us all. while we have different views on how to strengthen the economy either through big government, tax cuts, tax hikes, or smaller government, every American desires for this country to be prosperous and for children to have the opportunity for education and success. The Bible has a lot to say on economics. The church should be a place where God’s economic laws are taught and where the principals of stewardship are preached on and practiced. If every person in America is concerned with the price of gas, the price of food, and the employment rate, shouldn’t the church be a place where people can find answers to these dilemmas? Churches shouldn’t be afraid to talk about finances and the economy. The Bible speaks numerous times on money and how it should be handled.

And finally with all of the different things that this presidential election is riding on, global warming seems to be a huge issue. People are pushing for a “green” nation and a “green” economy. Whether you believe in global warming to the degree that it is being pushed on us or not, God commissioned humanity to take care of the earth, the animals, and the environment. When God gave humans dominion over the earth in the garden of Eden it was with the stipulation that we would care for the earth. Churches ought to be the leaders in community service activities that promote recycling, caring for the environment, and seeking new ways to be energy efficient. Not only would churches saving money on their utility bills if they watch their electricity usage and take small steps to preserve the environment, but they would become stand outs in the community.

Everyone desires to be part of a system that cares for family, finances, and the earth. These are the reasons that people come out in droves to support their candidate of choice. Even though churches are not political vehicles, we can learn a lot about the aspirations of our local citizens and the dreams of people through political strategy. Don’t cater to every “wind of doctrine” or new political view that comes around and root your church in Biblical teachings and principals. However, don’t get so “spiritual” that you fail to meet people where they are. The Bible says to be all things to all men.
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Lessons Learned from the Laundromat

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As a new inductee into the laundromat “hall of shame”, I have spent many hot, boring hours making observations about the people that use laundromats and how they interact. Since I do have a degree in psychology and love to “people watch”, the potential drudgery that is a coin operated washing machine has turned into somewhat of a social experiment for me. Here is a very non spiritual blog about human nature.
Lesson #1: People do not know how to handle money……….
I already knew this lesson based on the current state of our economy, the high bankruptcy rate, and the excessive credit card debts that Americans have. However, my lack of faith in peoples ability to budget correctly has been confirmed. Unless a laundromat is a necessity (i.e. you live in a tiny little space with 4 people and it is impossible to have a washer and dryer, you live in a college dorm, you have items too big or too numerous to wash at home, or you are temporarily in hock with a broken appliance), laundromats save you absolutely no money whatsoever. It typically costs us around$20 every time we go to a laundromat to wash and dry our clothes. Maybe it would save you some money if you were a single person, but I figured even if you didn’t have the straight up cash to purchase the washer and dryer, most appliance stores and furniture stores have 90 plus days same as cash and other payment plans. Even if you only went to a laundromat twice a month at $20 a pop, you could put $40 a month into a payment for a washer and dryer. Sam’s Club has a good quality washer and dryer for $300 each. It would take you 15 months at $40 a month to pay both a washer and dryer off if all the money you had was your laundromat money. This saves you bunches of money considering the life of your machinery is at least 10 years and 10 years in a laundromat at $40 a month would cost you $4,800. Also, it is not economical to spend $2 on a tiny one time use box of off brand detergent. Buy your detergent at Wal-Mart and bring it with you.
Lesson #2: People would prefer to pretend like they are blind rather than acknowledge that other people exist
A majority of the people that visit the laundromats that I have frequented must have an extreme fear of others because they literally won’t even look at you. Is it any wonder that so many Americans are on Prozac? People might possibly be happier if they acknowledged other humans and had interactions that brought them out of their comfort zone. I have had very few things said to me in the laundromats that I have a visited with the exception of one warning from an employee that it was too late for someone like me to be out walking the streets with laundry. Hey, at least one person cared. For the most part though, people live their lives full of complete indifference and mysterious unconcern.
Lesson#3: People are embarrassed of underwear
Shockingly enough, in a world of thongs and butt cracks hanging out of low riders, people at laundromats do their best to hide their underwear when putting them in the washer, transferring to the dryer, and folding. I find this quite interesting considering the fact that people have no modesty of shame in most public places. I daily see breasts, butt cheeks, and thighs that I have no desire to look at because people wear clothes that don’t fit. But for some reason, people would rather die than have their tightey whiteys exposed at a laundromat.
Lesson #4:Cleanliness is not a Virtue
Believe it or not, in a place where you are trying to get all of your stuff clean and rid your life of stains, dirt, and baby poop smears, cleanliness has little or no value. I would think of a laundromat as sort of a temple to worship the soap God. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is very scary to imagine the sorts of creatures and fuzz that live in the washers and dryers of a public laundry facility. I deeply inspect every machine before I let it touch my clothes. Beyond that though, the floors are sticky and filthy and you better not even walk near the bathroom. You may be accosted by a sea monster or some other species that lurks in the sink and toilet. Definitely don’t wear the same shoes in your house that you wore in the laundromat. I have encountered every type of sticky goo plastered on the laundromat floors, stools, benches, and tables.
Lesson #5: Capitalism is King
There is power in the concept of capitalism. As enticing as it sounds to make sure that everyone has an opportunity for equal financial status, the laundromat has shown me that competition and supply/demand still work as a basis for financial growth. The amount of money I have spent at any given laundromat has varied considerably from the North East to the Mid-West. The towns with only one laundromat cost excessively more than the towns where free enterprise reign. If you offer a good product and a good price, they will come. We don’t need too many regulations on that, we just need entrepreneurs to stir the American spirit. I have used the same machine in two different places and in one place it cost 8 quarters to run and in another place the identical machine was 15 quarters. While this would make some people upset, it only serves to remind me of the freedoms that we have as Americans to succeed or be duped. It is up to you which end you sit on.
Lesson Learned: It is amazing what sitting and watching clothes spin around will due to your psyche. Go outside more often =)

The intersection of mind, body, and spirit