Archive for October, 2008
I wanted to mention some of the speakers that were there. I really enjoyed the variety – preachers, authors, corporate business leaders, etc. This list is not comprehensive, and you can find the full list on the Catalyst website, of course, but I wanted to give my opinions and feedback.
One of my favorites was Dave Ramsey. Kevin and I completed his Financial Peace University course (it has been taught in our church for several semesters now). So, he’s pretty learned in his views on money and the economy. We have friends who listen to his radio broadcast (in bigger cities) and he does tv shows too. At the end of his speech (mostly about being a leader in your work environment), Dave talked a little bit about the recent stock market situation. He said he had the tendency to want to get very pessimistic about it, because he’s watching some of his closest friends do interviews on tv with very pained and fearful looks on their faces. But, he said ultimately, it’s all in Who we put our trust in… if we put our trust in money, we will fail. But if God is our trust, then we will not fail. Amen!
I really enjoyed Paul Young, author of The Shack. Wow. And, if you’ve never read the book, I cannot recommend it strongly enough. (William) Paul Young had some very powerful things to say… I’m still pondering these things and watching them play out in my life. He said the weekend the book character Mack spent in the shack represented 11 years of his life when God had to truly break him in order to teach him. He spent only $300 in “advertising”, yet this book has sold 14 million copies, hit #1 on the NY Times Best Seller List, and he will tell you it was all an accident… he was only intending it to be a Christmas present for his kids. He knows there are flaws in the book, because after all, he’s only human, and he really did intend for it to be a fiction work. But my, how this book has people thinking.
I think my other favorite was Matt Chandler. He pastors The Village Church in Highland Park, Texas (near Dallas). He has quite the delivery, he’s so very down-to-earth and quirky, but most importantly, he’s not afraid to share the Truth just as it is, without watering it down. And, if you don’t podcast him, you should.
October 30th, 2008
We learned about several different organizations that were pretty neat -
- Hoops 4 Hope, started by a then 9 year-old, helped us to realize that truly anyone can make a difference.
- Compassion International. We’ve known about them for years, but we heard testimony from a girl who lived in Manila – her father told her she was worthless and would never amount to anything. This same girl is now a seminary student in the US and is sponsoring 2 Compassion children of her own. (as a college student!)
- Operation Christmas Child, part of Samaritan’s Purse – our church gets many of these boxes together every year around this time, but it was neat to hear from a lady who was one of the recipients of a box 11 years ago. She said at the time she didn’t know who Jesus was, but she had been hoping and wishing for a pair of shoes because her family was so poor they couldn’t afford them. So, when the OCC team showed up, they gave her a box and inside was a brand new pair of shoes. God is amazing.
After the conference, we were sitting in the Atlanta airport after the conference and Toney was reading a magazine article about Johnny Depp, who will make a mere $55 million for his next movie. JD has at least 3 others in the works but that figure is for ONE movie. All because he looks pretty. I hope and pray that he and his Hollywood friends give lots of money to charitable causes such as these, but I doubt it. Our financial advisor told Kevin and me that he has clients making 6 figures but not giving anything away. And why? Just so our kids can fight over it when we die?
Matthew 16:26 (ESV) – “For what does it profit a man if he gains the world but forfeits his soul? And what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
October 30th, 2008
I have these random cravings, and usually I go with them, mostly because I’m pregnant and mostly because it’s a pretty good blend of healthy and not-so-healthy things. This past weekend, I wanted a cup of coffee. I desperately needed a cup of Starbucks Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Sounds simple enough, right?
I went to Starbucks this past Sunday morning. I had been through the ringer as far as getting myself and my kids ready; the cold weather hit so I’d been spending too much time locating warm clothes for everyone, we were an hour late, I burned their breakfast, and Colby was having a 3 year-old day (think terrible 2’s but worse because now he has some independence and a leg to stand on). So here’s my befuddled conversation with the very nice college co-ed behind the counter.
Me: Can I have a pumpkin drink?
SB girl: Would you like a pumpkin spiced latte or the pumpkin spiced frappucino?
Me: Which one of those is hot?
SB: We can make either of those hot.
Me: I want the one that’s not blended.
SB: Okay then you’re probably thinking of the latte.
Me: Okay then I’ll have that. Decaf, please. (Groan from the back of the line. Starbucks purist.)
SB: Alright! And what size did you want?
Me: Uhhh.. the small one.
SB: Tall? Okay, we’ll have that right out for you!
Most Americans go into Starbucks and order something like this:
“half-caff triple venti double mocha iced frappucino. To go.” OR
“Venti soy latte” (which sounds more like Italian to me?) OR here’s my new favorite -
“Tall upside down caramel macchiato with whipped cream, no foam, and extra caramel in a venti cup.”
Sounds great right? However, every time I go into Starbucks, I blank. The whole deer in headlights look and everything. I smell coffee and I lose consciousness. Is there some sort of Starbucks ESL course out there I could take? It’s not that I don’t want to learn, it’s just that I don’t know how. I’m sure somewhere they have a Starbucks Rehab center, but that’s for a completely different problem.
By the way, the Tall Decaf Pumpkin Spiced Latte with whipped cream and sprinkles was delicious.
October 28th, 2008
I was up early this morning. We’re talking, before 5 am early. And I didn’t go to sleep until after midnight… why was I so awake? My mind is racing just thinking about the things I need to do before this baby girl gets here. I (apparently) have had my time to sleep; now it’s time to play catch-up. In fact, I had to write this post in several different spurts because I keep thinking of something else to add to The List.
It doesn’t help that the cold weather just hit and I have no clothes to wear.. that is, none that don’t show my very expanding belly. And, neither do the kids, especially Colby. So, I need to add a shopping trip to my list. Also on the list: wash the windows. What sane and not pregnant person wants to clean the windows? But, they are very important to me and so I must clean.
Yesterday we picked up our crib from a very wonderful friend who is letting us borrow it. Kevin’s going to put it together this weekend. I’m getting ready to go through all of Kennedy’s old baby clothes, plus some clothes that have been handed down to us. (Girl clothes really are the best… so many cute outfits!) And tonight our ABF (a.k.a. to the rest of the world as our Sunday School class) is throwing us a baby shower in conjunction with our monthly fellowship – they’re giving us disposable items and praying over us for a safe and healthy delivery of this baby. I definitely will take all the prayers I need!
So, things are coming into place. I have another midwife appointment on Monday afternoon and then it’s every week until the baby gets here… sometimes I think, “How much longer?” and then other times I think, “I can’t believe it’s only a few more weeks.”
But as far as the list goes, Kevin and I learned at Catalyst to make a “To-Don’t” list – things I do not HAVE to do, that I can take off the schedule at any given time. Like the windows, even though they’re important, it really wouldn’t be the end of the world. And baking cookies is on the To Do list. Why? I like (okay LOVE) cookies, and have a few ingredients I’d like to use up. But it could easily end up on the To-Don’t List.
And for the family reading the blog – Grandfather’s birthday is tomorrow! He will be 77. It sure would be neat to share a birthday with his great-granddaughter! But then again, my To Do List is completely full for next week too.. we’ll keep you posted.
October 24th, 2008
I know Kevin will want to weigh in on the things he learned at Catalyst, and I took some pics that he’ll have to post (since I don’t know how to do that). But I did want to share what an awesome week I had last week.
Kevin and I went with 4 others to an absolutely amazing church leaders’ conference called Catalyst in Atlanta. Yeah, if you click on that link, the website is amazing and just the facade of what actually happened there. I got to hear amazing speakers, both secular and Christian. (more on them in another post) One of the speakers likened this conference to “drinking water out of a fire hydrant”. Very true.
The worship experience was probably the best thing about the conference. I really didn’t even know who the worship leaders were, and it didn’t matter. There’s something about worshiping in the dark and at very high decibel levels that takes you out of your element and gives you freedom to do and say whatever the Lord leads you to. I love being Southern Baptist, but more and more I’m not-so-much liking the stigma of worshiping like Baptists do.
Most of all, I was touched by the group of Kenyan children that got up on the stage to dance and lead us in worship. They were representing a project called the 410 Bridge. (Many children in Kenya are orphaned, and even more do not have drinkable water). I was just blown away by how these children could recite Scripture so easily and with such conviction…
One recited Psalms 23 – “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want…”
Another recited John 14 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled….”
Most American children (myself included) have never been in want. They don’t know what it is to be troubled. And yet, these Kenyan children would dance and lift their hands in prayer and worship to God. I was completely broken because lately I have been so lazy in memorizing Scripture. It’s not that I don’t know how to memorize, I just don’t. I need to be a better steward of my Bible. And the first Scripture I’m going to memorize is John 14. I took pictures of these darling kids and will (get Kevin to) post them later.
In my Bible study of the Beatitudes this week, it says “God allows us to be poor in spirit (etc.) because it causes us to have a need to rely on Him.” Boy, does it. I know I live my life on some sort of “sin” curve (pronounced “sign” but looks like sin…) – up and down and back up again. I’m thankful God gets my attention and allows me to be broken.
More later.
October 14th, 2008