Shuckin' Awe!

Hopefully that wonderful post title will make some sense in a little bit :)

Anyway, last week we had a wonderful surprise:  a visit from my mom and step-dad.  They traveled from the East-Central part of Mississippi and only got to stay two and a half days, but we enjoyed every single minute!  I know this trip was a sacrifice for them financially and otherwise with a car that is needing some repair, but I appreciate their visit so much!

I know one little girl that enjoyed having her "ganny" around.  By Tuesday morning she was calling for her "ganny" to get her out of the bed when she woke up.

Since they were here on the Fourth of July, we cooked out on the grill.  Cecily and Granny made potato salad to go with the baked beans (with pineapple), burgers and Johnsonville brats.

Bentley and Cecily made a Piston Cup Pizza for our dessert.

It turned out so cute and was delicious!!!  Later that evening we watched fireworks outside and shot a few ourselves.

Tuesday morning, we enjoyed some watermelon that Granny and Pops had brought with them.  It was so good and sweet.

As you can tell, the kiddos really got "into" their watermelon!  Cecily taught her grandparents how to play Spoons card game and I wish you could have been fly on the wall!  After a while of just lazin' around, we took Granny and Pops to Sonic happy hour for some drinks and an ice cream cone to celebrate their anniversary.

Now for the Shuckin' Awe part.  I know all of you remember George Bush's "Shock and Awe" campaign during the Gulf War?  Well this was our Shuckin' Awe:

Cecily had gone grocery shopping with me before Granny and Pops came down and she noticed the awesome deal Publix had on fresh corn.  She wanted some, but didn't want to "shuck in public" as she put it.  The real deal is that she didn't know how!  So, Granny and Pops took her back to Publix and bought that girl some corn and taught her how to shuck corn on the comfort of her own back porch!  We had it with supper that night and it was so good!

The next morning was Wednesday and Granny and Pops were packing up to leave, but before they left, Cecily made Pops a birthday cake.  He turned the big 60!  Somebody wanted to help a little with the icing:

Before they left, we had to get just a few more rounds of Spoons in:

Granny became quite the competitor!  We had the best fun while they were here!  We didn't go anywhere or do anything big, but sometimes simple fun with the ones you love is just the best!
Blessings,
Jennifer

The Heart Of Memory

I've always been intrigued by the changes in some people after they have had heart procedures.  Medical advances that allow a surgeon to actually hold and manipulate the heart of a human being is amazing and I always have wondered how these surgeries affect the person.  Does it cause any change in personalities, emotions or abilities to cope with life in general?  Does it change the person in any way?

Alison Strobel explores this phenomenon in her novel The Heart Of Memory.  Savannah Trover (main character) is wife, mother, and ministry leader.  Early in the book, Savannah finds she has an enlarged heart and is experiencing heart failure which leads to the need for a heart transplant.

From the back cover of the book:

"Savannah expected to receive a new heart...but she didn't expect to lose her faith."

Ms Strobel weaves an amazing story of the changes that take place in Savannah after her surgery.  The side story of her husband Shaun's secret adds a bit of mystery to their story that holds the reader until the very last page.  And the strained relationship between Savannah and her daughter Jessie make for a heart wrenching tale of family dynamics.  There is a lot on the line for Savannah...will she walk away from her ministry?  Will she lose her husband and daughter?  Will she ever regain her faith in God?

The author Alison Strobel, daughter of Lee Strobel, has written children's books with her husband.  I have read and reviewed two of them:  That's When I Talk To God and That's Where God Is.  The Heart Of Memory is the first of her novels I have read and I was not disappointed.  Her other novel is The Weight Of Shadows.  I certainly plan to get my hands on that one.  You can find out more about Ms Strobel at her personal website by going HERE. 

Zondervan sent me a copy of The Heart Of Memory for the purpose of providing you with this review.  The book can be ordered from them by going HERE.  The book can also be ordered at Amazon.com by following the link below:














Happy Reading,
Jennifer

Backyard Bible Club 2011

There's a lot of talk about being missional these days, but what does that really mean?  Unfortunately, many people equate being missional with having to go off to another place somewhere and they miss the opportunities right around them.  Or they think being missional means you have to give up everything you have rather than the willingness to use what you have for God's glory and purposes.  

I've seen amazing missionary work right in my own home and neighborhood this week.  Thanks to the support of our church family, we had Backyard Bible Clubs in our home Monday thru Wednesday morning.  We live in a neighborhood full of families with lots of kids and the opportunities for ministry are limitless.  Some of our Youth girls came and helped us by leading the Bible lessons, doing the crafts and games and helping serve the kids lunch each day.  I can not tell you how proud I am of those girls.  There are lots of things they could have done with three mornings of Summer vacation, but they chose to serve these kids for the Glory of God.  And they did an amazing job.  It was a beautiful thing to see them work together so well!

Here's a re-cap of each day:

DAY ONE:  JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

"I am the good shepherd  The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."      John 10:11

We didn't have as many kids come as we were hoping for, but in the end the number isn't of main importance.  We ended up over the course of the three days connecting with eight children from the neighborhood reaching five different families.  They weren't here on Monday at the 9 am start time, so we went and rounded them up.  I'm proud of my little man (Bentley is in the blue muscle shirt on the front row).  He got on his bike and started knocking on his friend's doors!

The group got warmed up with a few games and then had music time.  JennaBeth had one of her little friends join her in a class and Darci and Christina were their teachers.

Morgan, JennaBeth, Darci, Christina

These girls did a phenomenal job teaching these two little ones!  I am so proud of their faithfulness this week to be so intentional about teaching a 3 year old and a 2 year old important truths about Jesus.  They did the cutest little craft with them on Monday...

DAY TWO:  JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry.'"  John 6:35a

The kids really enjoyed the music.  Mike lead them with the guitar and even let them use some instruments.  They really liked that...

Bentley told us that one of the little boys told him, "Man I just can't get those songs out my head!"  That's a real good thing!  

Ms Debbie, who teaches Bentley in Sunday School, came on Tuesday morning to do a lesson illustration with the JennaBeth and her friend Morgan.  She had made them shirts that said, "I am kneading Jesus.  He is my bread of life"...

And then they got to actually make bread...

The whole group of kids got to taste the bread and we had mini loaves we sent home with each child.

That evening after the kids had gone home, a big thunderstorm came.  Right before the rain started, I snapped these pictures of a beautiful rainbow.

DAY THREE:  JESUS IS THE WAY

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  John 14:6

The biggest highlight of day three for me was getting to hear Darci teach about Jesus being the only way to God to JennaBeth (2) and Morgan (3).

She had their attention and to see little Morgan do the motions Darci had taught them to help them learn their memory verse (Yes!  She had them doing a memory verse!) was about more than my heart could take!

Cecily did the lesson and review game with the group this last day.  She's my oldest (orange shirt)...

The games Wednesday were all water games and the kids really loved them...

Splish, Splish, Splash (water version of Duck, Duck Goose)...

Water slide...

Water balloons...

"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.  When Jesus saw this, He was indignant.  He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.'  And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them."  Mark 10:13-16

Don't miss an opportunity to minister today.  It may be closer than you realize,

Jennifer

Thin Places

What happens to you when the challenges of life come your way?

"In the Celtic tradition, a 'thin place' is the place where the veil that separates heaven and earth is nearly transparent.  It is a place where we experience a deep sense of God's presence in our everyday world.  A thin place where, for a moment, the spiritual world and natural world intersect.  There are moments when we do feel the divine breaking through into our world.  We feel unified and connected with God.  It is not an intellectual knowing, it is felt in the spirit.  It can be a sudden momentary awareness or profound unexplainable experience."  

That quote if from Pressing Into Thin Places:  Encouraging the Heart Toward God by Margaret Harrell Wills, EdD.  Audra from B&B Media Group sent me a free copy for the purpose of review.

Pressing Into Thin Places is not your typical "how to" book and is not even comparable to the variety of "self help" books out there.  Dr. Wills encourages the reader to "press close to the source of our peace" when the world is falling apart around them.  Here are a few of Dr. Wills' words from the Author's Note in the book:

"We are created to connect with God and restore the relationship we innately and desperately desire.  We are called to be followers of Jesus.  This book encourages us to be honest in our need and expectant in our faith.  It points us to move toward the heart of God and find the joy and reality of 'God alive in us.'"

This is a book perfect for personal devotions.  The sections are short and vary from poems to scripture to quotes from a variety of sources to personal stories shared by Dr. Wills.  She clearly expresses importance of "the application of faith in all areas of life and at all times".

In a world and time when people are urged to find solace and comfort in other things, Dr. Wills' biblical call to seek after God is refreshing and very much needed.  You can order Pressing Into Thin Places at Amazon.com by following the link below:














Blessings,
Jennifer

False Witness

If your are looking for some good Summer time fiction to read, I have an awesome writer to tell you about and his latest book False Witness, will surely be one to pick up.  Randy Singer, the author, by day is a litigation attorney specializing in complex personal injury cases and commercial litigation for the law firm of Wilcox and Savage.  He is also teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  He teaches classes in advocacy and ethics at Regent Law School as well.  On top of all these things, he began pursuing his passion to write a few years ago.  You can visit Randy's personal website by going HERE.  Randy pens legal thrillers designed to entertain his readers while confronting them with controversial issues.

Singer took a trip to India a few years ago and saw firsthand the systemic oppression of the Dalits (formerly known as untouchables) through the Hindu caste system.  Singer is deeply passionate about helping end the human rights struggle in India that includes the exploitation of 15 million children in bonded labor and the toleration of temple prostitution and other forms of sexual slavery.  He is donating all royalties from the sale of False Witness to the Dalit Freedom Network, which works to provide Dalit children a first-class education and to free them from the bondage of human trafficking. 

The idea for the book came to Singer at the funeral for one of his good friends and former clients.  His friend had been a part of the witness protection program.  The friend's pastor made this statement and after hearing it Singer decided to write False Witness:

"The government can give you a new identity, but only Christ can change your life."

False Witness is a fast moving legal thriller.  Singer does an amazing job of drawing you in with the very first few paragraphs.  He peppers little details along the way that cause you to keep turning page after page.  Just when you think you have things figured out, Singer throws in a twist and turn.  You will go from the streets of Las Vegas to the halls of the American justice system and you will gain insight into the growing church in India.  In the end, the reader comes away with knowing how God is a God of justice and how, in His time, justice will be served.

Believe me, you don't want to miss this one!  If you like John Grisham as an author, you will LOVE Randy Singer's False Witness.  I have my local library getting a copy of his other books for me!

You can order the book from Amazon.com by following the link provided below:














So grab a great Summer read and at the same time you will be playing a part in the extinction of human trafficking in India.
Blessing,
Jennifer