In Texas summer begins shortly after Valentine's Day, but we can pretend that it started on Saturday so the rest of the world doesn't get too jealous. They don't have to know that by May it is so hot down here your fingernail polish melts off your fingers and drips into sizzling puddles on the sidewalk.
Summer has that beachy, fun-loaded mystique that we crave during the gray monotony of winter. Overall, it lives up to its renown. However, even the greatest of all seasons has its downfalls. Kids are pinballing between frantic activity and bored lethargy while moms long for peace and quiet. If you work, a different kind of stamina is needed to clink away on a keyboard indoors while you imagine everyone else lounging by a pool sipping iced tea.
Maybe you are having the greatest of all summers, vacationing on the beach and enjoying your tan little self because you are on sabbatical Toby Slough. But for the rest of us, we must rely on our air conditioners and creativity to survive.
On that note, I would like to reveal my secret summer indulgence, a little treat that keeps me happy when its 185 degrees in the shade. It is more enjoyable when your kids are napping or occupied by the Wii, or if you can sneak off to a corner of the break room at work so you don't have to share. (Sharing is over-rated.)
Here it is:
White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
THIS RECIPE IS FOR ONE SERVING!!!
5-6 Strawberries, washed and dried
1-2 squares Almond Bark
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Use small bowl or mug to melt the Almond Bark in micro for 1 1/2-2 minutes at 50% power (or until creamy). Dip strawberries into chocolate one at a time. Immediately dip in chopped pecans. Lay on wax paper to cool. Wait 10 minutes for coating to harden (or save for later) and eat!!
Yep, I do this every afternoon when my boys take a nap. It is so heavenly. But, hey I'm no Toby Slough.
Please take a look at the new icons to your right highlighting some of our summer activities. Click the graphic to find a sign-up sheet and more information.
En-joy.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
News Flash 6/19
Hey Ladies!
Just a few bits you should know about...
Brenda Kuketz, a member at Cross Timbers, called this morning. She is legally blind and needs a driver 3 days a week to help her with errands beginning July 1. She lives in The Settlement in Argyle and has 2 children. If you know of someone who can help her out please have them call 817.808.7050 to make arrangements.
Tuesday, June 24 we are meeting in the lobby @ 9 a.m. to make lunches for 120 kids in the CCA Kids Eat Free Lunch program. At 11 a.m. we are heading to Lewisville to deliver the lunches. E-mail me at glennam@crosstimberschurch.org if you would like to help with this service project. If you are not able to join us we are on the schedule to make lunches and deliver on July 29 also.
Saturday, June 28 we are having an ice cream social (right after the 5 p.m. service). Bring sandwiches to share and your best homemade ice cream. We’ll provide chips, drinks, games and a bounce house for the kids. One of our games is a contest to see who can make the tastiest ice cream. The entire church is invited, but need some early commitments from some of you to make this a great event. Please e-mail me at glennam@crosstimberschurch.org with what kind of ice cream you are bringing.
Love you all!
Just a few bits you should know about...
Brenda Kuketz, a member at Cross Timbers, called this morning. She is legally blind and needs a driver 3 days a week to help her with errands beginning July 1. She lives in The Settlement in Argyle and has 2 children. If you know of someone who can help her out please have them call 817.808.7050 to make arrangements.
Tuesday, June 24 we are meeting in the lobby @ 9 a.m. to make lunches for 120 kids in the CCA Kids Eat Free Lunch program. At 11 a.m. we are heading to Lewisville to deliver the lunches. E-mail me at glennam@crosstimberschurch.org if you would like to help with this service project. If you are not able to join us we are on the schedule to make lunches and deliver on July 29 also.
Saturday, June 28 we are having an ice cream social (right after the 5 p.m. service). Bring sandwiches to share and your best homemade ice cream. We’ll provide chips, drinks, games and a bounce house for the kids. One of our games is a contest to see who can make the tastiest ice cream. The entire church is invited, but need some early commitments from some of you to make this a great event. Please e-mail me at glennam@crosstimberschurch.org with what kind of ice cream you are bringing.
Love you all!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Tidings From the North... The Denton GROW Group
This is a synopsis of the Denton campus GROW group by the co-leader, Carol Wolfram. What an amazing thing God is doing with them!!
Hi! I am Carol Wolfram, the lesser co-leader of the Denton Campus GROW Group. Our brave and courageous leader is Terri Gilliatt, who, despite her reticence and misgivings about public speaking, is our marvelous lead teacher for our current study, Choosing to Change. Of course, she is doing a wonderful job!
We started our group as a mini-mester for the month of April. Since we were new, we decided that we all needed to get to know each other better, and try and create a more intimate and trust filled atmosphere for our ladies. As a result, five of us shared "our story" of how the Lord brought us to Him in forthright, brazenly honest terms. Because we were willing to share our foibles, I believe it helped open the door for our group to feel welcome, not matter what, and to gain excitement that we have God given hope -- the confident expectation of the future fulfillment of a present promise -- and that "He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:16 (one of our memory verses).
The original plan was to cease further meetings after April, and then start a more in depth Bible study in the Fall. God, however, did not want to wait to fellowship with us! A good bunch of our group was eager to continue meeting every week. We all prayed, considered a number of options, and chose to engage on a 2-3 month study called Choosing to Change. This study explores from the Word our choices to move toward God in an authentic way, and allow Him through His Holy Spirit and His Word to transform our lives.
Our thematic memory verse is Romans 12:2 -- "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will." Each week we have a new memory verse, which Terri hands out so we can tape it up in some prominent place at home or work and read it all week so we can learn it.
Choosing to Change is an eight week study, although we are in reality taking a little longer because sometimes the Lord has other plans. This week, we will be on Week Three. We meet at 6:30 on Wednesday nights, usually in the Garage at the Denton Campus CT Kids Building. We are supposed to be finished at 8:00. although sometimes we run over.
One of the most precious gifts each of us has received through this group is our group prayer life. Each member of the group has made a covenant promise to each other that what we share in the group stays in the group, unless express permission is given to share outside the group. As a result, we have been open to intimate and sometimes gut wrenching sharing and prayer requests. A prayer chain update praise report and prayer request email is sent out to the group, usually the following day which details answers to prayer, continued prayer requests, and new prayer requests. It is an awesome God thing!
When we get through Choosing to Change, we anticipate starting another study. There is a good possibility that we will elect a Beth Moore study. We are encouraging our class to participate in the church Fall Retreat.
We do have a need for child care, if that is possible.
We do have a need for a morning GROW Group, as a number of our group cannot meet at night, but wants to be involved actively in a GROW Group. They have requested that I send their plea along to the powers that be. The ladies who would help start the core morning group are awesome, and would be great mentors for some of the newer Christians who would join up.
I can say confidently that our GROW Group is a God experience. It is such a blessing for each of us, not just on Wednesday, but throughout the week. We get emails periodically during the week from class members, giving us updates, and asking for mid-week prayer requests. Just the fact that Terri and I are the co-leaders is incredible. We had not met each other before our group started, but we have discovered that both of us have daughters named Laura Beth, who sometimes go by LB, who both want to be teachers, etc. It is eerie how our family lives on other matters have such common factors. How cool is God for that?
Well, I hope that you have a glimpse into what our GROW Group is about here in Denton. If you need further information, just holler!
Carol Wolfram
Hi! I am Carol Wolfram, the lesser co-leader of the Denton Campus GROW Group. Our brave and courageous leader is Terri Gilliatt, who, despite her reticence and misgivings about public speaking, is our marvelous lead teacher for our current study, Choosing to Change. Of course, she is doing a wonderful job!
We started our group as a mini-mester for the month of April. Since we were new, we decided that we all needed to get to know each other better, and try and create a more intimate and trust filled atmosphere for our ladies. As a result, five of us shared "our story" of how the Lord brought us to Him in forthright, brazenly honest terms. Because we were willing to share our foibles, I believe it helped open the door for our group to feel welcome, not matter what, and to gain excitement that we have God given hope -- the confident expectation of the future fulfillment of a present promise -- and that "He who began a good work in [us] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Phil 1:16 (one of our memory verses).
The original plan was to cease further meetings after April, and then start a more in depth Bible study in the Fall. God, however, did not want to wait to fellowship with us! A good bunch of our group was eager to continue meeting every week. We all prayed, considered a number of options, and chose to engage on a 2-3 month study called Choosing to Change. This study explores from the Word our choices to move toward God in an authentic way, and allow Him through His Holy Spirit and His Word to transform our lives.
Our thematic memory verse is Romans 12:2 -- "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- His good, pleasing and perfect will." Each week we have a new memory verse, which Terri hands out so we can tape it up in some prominent place at home or work and read it all week so we can learn it.
Choosing to Change is an eight week study, although we are in reality taking a little longer because sometimes the Lord has other plans. This week, we will be on Week Three. We meet at 6:30 on Wednesday nights, usually in the Garage at the Denton Campus CT Kids Building. We are supposed to be finished at 8:00. although sometimes we run over.
One of the most precious gifts each of us has received through this group is our group prayer life. Each member of the group has made a covenant promise to each other that what we share in the group stays in the group, unless express permission is given to share outside the group. As a result, we have been open to intimate and sometimes gut wrenching sharing and prayer requests. A prayer chain update praise report and prayer request email is sent out to the group, usually the following day which details answers to prayer, continued prayer requests, and new prayer requests. It is an awesome God thing!
When we get through Choosing to Change, we anticipate starting another study. There is a good possibility that we will elect a Beth Moore study. We are encouraging our class to participate in the church Fall Retreat.
We do have a need for child care, if that is possible.
We do have a need for a morning GROW Group, as a number of our group cannot meet at night, but wants to be involved actively in a GROW Group. They have requested that I send their plea along to the powers that be. The ladies who would help start the core morning group are awesome, and would be great mentors for some of the newer Christians who would join up.
I can say confidently that our GROW Group is a God experience. It is such a blessing for each of us, not just on Wednesday, but throughout the week. We get emails periodically during the week from class members, giving us updates, and asking for mid-week prayer requests. Just the fact that Terri and I are the co-leaders is incredible. We had not met each other before our group started, but we have discovered that both of us have daughters named Laura Beth, who sometimes go by LB, who both want to be teachers, etc. It is eerie how our family lives on other matters have such common factors. How cool is God for that?
Well, I hope that you have a glimpse into what our GROW Group is about here in Denton. If you need further information, just holler!
Carol Wolfram
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Focus
Do you ever feel like your life is unraveling around you and there is no where to go for a bit of sanity? Sometimes I wake up grouchy, kids already whining, dog barking to go out, t.v. blaring Sportscenter or Thomas and Friends or some other irritatingly noisy show that is completely irrelevant to me and I just want to run out of my house and SCREAM.
Maybe I just want to open my eyes slowly and yawn and stretch and listen to the birds chatter away in the glow of morning promise and not be thinking about the white poo they are leaving behind on my patio for the kids to smear around with their shoes.
I think my eyes are squinty and fuzzy and practically blinded by chaos accumulation.
Today I ran across a video on Sheri's blog (click on those pink words to see it) that tweaked my vision into crystal clarity. Maybe it will do the same for you. En-Joy.
Oh, and you might want to grab a tissue, it's a little on the snotty side of "joyful tears".
Maybe I just want to open my eyes slowly and yawn and stretch and listen to the birds chatter away in the glow of morning promise and not be thinking about the white poo they are leaving behind on my patio for the kids to smear around with their shoes.
I think my eyes are squinty and fuzzy and practically blinded by chaos accumulation.
Today I ran across a video on Sheri's blog (click on those pink words to see it) that tweaked my vision into crystal clarity. Maybe it will do the same for you. En-Joy.
Oh, and you might want to grab a tissue, it's a little on the snotty side of "joyful tears".
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Little Things
Today I finally got around to planting the leftover vinca from a very large flat my husband bought last weekend. I hate leaving beautiful sprouts without a home, but I was out of space.
Unless you count the sparse and bare container that is nurturing my "survivors". Every year at the end of May I look at my garden closely for any determined fellows that held on over the cold winter and chose to give it another go when the warm weather returned. This year I found two teensy-weensy petunias, one lone portulaca, and a "yet-to-be-determined." I transplanted these hangers-on into a large clay pot and displayed it in a place of honor at the edge of the driveway.
Now each morning I walk outside and check the progress of my feeble friends. Will they be bigger? Will they bloom? Watching the progression of a wilted seedling to a colored blossom is intensely satisfying.
I wonder if God looks at us like that. It is lovely to enjoy a flower that was given the best of everything. Good soil, fertilizer, and the right amount of sun. They grow big and colorful and flashy. But the ones who clung on even when nothing went their way... that is a different kind of beauty. Beauty with strength.
I have noticed that my life is not always one, and not always the other. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is cold, dry, and lonely. Some days love spills out of me like an overflowing teapot. Some days a drop would double my stores. I hope I have what it takes to praise Him through whatever weather I find myself enduring.
God please help me hang on in all seasons and bloom just the same.
(And by the way, my vinca is enjoying a little stint in a PLASTIC container. I couldn't let those big healthy plants steal all the glory!)
Unless you count the sparse and bare container that is nurturing my "survivors". Every year at the end of May I look at my garden closely for any determined fellows that held on over the cold winter and chose to give it another go when the warm weather returned. This year I found two teensy-weensy petunias, one lone portulaca, and a "yet-to-be-determined." I transplanted these hangers-on into a large clay pot and displayed it in a place of honor at the edge of the driveway.
Now each morning I walk outside and check the progress of my feeble friends. Will they be bigger? Will they bloom? Watching the progression of a wilted seedling to a colored blossom is intensely satisfying.
I wonder if God looks at us like that. It is lovely to enjoy a flower that was given the best of everything. Good soil, fertilizer, and the right amount of sun. They grow big and colorful and flashy. But the ones who clung on even when nothing went their way... that is a different kind of beauty. Beauty with strength.
I have noticed that my life is not always one, and not always the other. Sometimes it is easy. Sometimes it is cold, dry, and lonely. Some days love spills out of me like an overflowing teapot. Some days a drop would double my stores. I hope I have what it takes to praise Him through whatever weather I find myself enduring.
God please help me hang on in all seasons and bloom just the same.
(And by the way, my vinca is enjoying a little stint in a PLASTIC container. I couldn't let those big healthy plants steal all the glory!)
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Happy Tuesday!
It's Tuesday, which means... Absolutely nothing. Tuesday is like the most boring day of the week. It is not even "hump day". Sometimes I feel a little bit sorry for Tuesday just hanging out in the middle of nowhere. But everyone has their own opinion, so lets hear 'em. What is your favorite day of the week?
Also, don't forget to sign up for the Women of Faith conference. It should be a really good time. Tickets are going fast, so grab your BFF and snag a couple before they are gone.
(Hint: The words "Women of Faith" in the above paragraph are a link to the sign up page for this event. Drag your cursor across the words and when the little hand pops up, click!)
Also, don't forget to sign up for the Women of Faith conference. It should be a really good time. Tickets are going fast, so grab your BFF and snag a couple before they are gone.
(Hint: The words "Women of Faith" in the above paragraph are a link to the sign up page for this event. Drag your cursor across the words and when the little hand pops up, click!)
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