Fell off the Wagon...

...Saturday night! Wow! I can't tell you what

happened. My body was just craving chocolate - so I caved!

Had a Swiss Cake Roll!

It was good!

Felt a little guilty.

I'm over it!

It's a new day!

A Better Way

Watched this today. I need to watch it every day. I love the words to this song, but I think the lyrist forgot to include an important part. Jesus laid down his life for his friends, yes, but you know what part blows me away? When laying his life down for his friends, he also laid His life down for those He KNEW would reject Him. He laid his life down for those who would later try to distroy Him. Those who would later become murderers, liars and thieves. He suffered the greatest pain for those who would mock Him, deny Him and use His name in vein. And amazingly, he still called them His friends?

Yes.

He did.

He did it for you - and for me. He calls us friends when we aren't worthy enough to be called friends. Jesus loves us THAT much. It's incredible. It's indescribable. It's amazing.

This morning I am so thankful He calls me His friend.

THAT is the true definition of friendship.

Thank you Jesus!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Last week we did a Volunteer Celebration for the wonderful volunteers of Crossroads Community Church. It was a nice evening of celebrating the lives that make our church what it is. A time to honor the men and women who so selfLESSly give of themselves week in and week out to help people who are far from Christ take that one step closer to Him. It was a nice night.

During the course of the evening, my husband was approached by a dedicated volunteer who told my him "thank you." Looking at this man a bit confused, my husband said, "why are you thanking me?" to which the man replied, "the staff spouses don't get much recognition and I just wanted thank you for all you for all you guys do and go through, too." (I'm paraphrasing here.)

I was blown away by this comment. And it's so true. Husbands and wives of church staff don't always get the recognition they so deserve. I've said it before and I'll say it again, ministry work is, by far, the hardest work I've ever had the privilege of doing, but by far, the most rewarding. Staff spouses have to endure a lot of sleepless nights, long Sunday's and short vacations. They have the distinct gift of listening and get signed-up to do things they, sometimes, didn't ask to be signed-up for.

Without a doubt, my husband deserves a gold metal for having put up with me for 11 years now (in March). I cannot tell you the times I've kept him up until 2am just listening to me ramble and the nights he's foregone sharing his day with me because I just couldn't wait to get out all I had to share out to him the minute he walked in the door! He's been patient, encouraging, supporting, understanding, sympathetic, realistic, honest, gentle and uplifting. He's been my comfort, my rock and my best friend.

The reality is, I could not do ministry without the love and support of my better half. He is truly the better half. He has made me a better person and I thank God every day for him. Thank you, Trevor, for loving me, for supporting me, for dreaming with me and for serving Christ alongside of me. I cannot imagine doing life with anyone else. Happy Valentine's Day! I love you!

Living with Passion

This has to be one of the best posts I've ever read (if not the best!) God doesn't want us to be luke warm when it comes to our faith and trusting in Him - - - He wants us to live out passion-filled lives! He desires for us to live with passion for what is right. In my opinion, this is what the world lacks - PASSION and enthusiasm.

I have been accused of being many things over the course of my life and being passionate is one of them. But I'm not going to apologize for that passion. When I work - I do it with passion. When I play - I do it with passion. When I devote myself to anything - I do it with passion. And I want to be a person who is accused of living with that same passion for Christ. I truly, passionately, desire to be all that God has called me to be. I'm not apologizing for that. This is my favorite part of the above post: "...the world needs churches with men and women FULL of passion, who actually believe that God loves people and sent His Son Jesus to prove it…and do EVERYTHING it takes to get that message out!" Jesus had passion for what He came to this earth to do and with every ounce of my being - I want to live out that same kind of passion for Him.

So the next time someone accuses you of being too passionate about what you feel God has called you to do, turn to them and say, "Thank you." My guess is that this will leave them scratching their heads.

20 Smart Snacks...

for 150 calories or less (might I add!).

Got this from a really cool website. Been thinking of ways I can incorporate more healthy snacks into my daily routine. This way, I am boosting my metabolism AND eating less at meals. Here's that list...

1 Dill Pickle Spear
1 Jell-0 Gelatin Sugar Free Snack
1 Kiwi fruit
1 Chocolate Sugar free Jell-O Pudding Snack
1 Mozzarella String Cheese Stick (reduced fat)
1 cup Orange Sections
1/2 cup Post Grape-Nut O's with 1/2 cup blueberries
2 Strawberry Newtons
Jell-O Smoothie Snack
1 Pear
1 Banana
10 baby carrots dipped in low fat Ranch dressing
1 Kraft Single with 1 medium apple, sliced
1 container of Breakstone's Cottage Doubles - Pineapple
3 cups air-popped popcorn sprinkled with Kraft Reduced Fat Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup Post Brand Flakes with 1/2 cup fat free milk
2 Tbsp. Hummus with 1/2 whole wheat pita
1 South Beach Diet Cranberry Almond High Protein Cereal Bar
1 Oreo (yes - I said Oreo) Thin Crisps 100 Calorie Pack with 1/2 cup fat free milk
1 oz. Planters Mixed Nuts Trail Mix

I Love Lucy!

Lovin' it! It's Friday night and I just discovered an "I Love Lucy" marathon on TV Land! Kicked back in my lazy boy, home all alone (hubby took Chloe to the Daddy-Daughter Dance). Let the good times roll! :0)

Losing it!

I'm losing it... weight that is. I'm actually amazing myself. To date, I have lost a total of 12 pounds. I don't know where I'm losing it from... but it's come off and I am geeked! Been eating less carbs, more fruit and veggies and no snacks. Drinking lots of water and been downing O.J. like it's going out of style. Why O.J., you ask... because I've been afraid of catching one of the nasty bugs going around. So - in my effort to remain healthy, I've been drinking 2 full glasses of O.J. a day with my b-complex and b-12.

My friend Jen shared with me last week about this awesome website - www.e-mealz.com. THANK you, Jen! You have to check it out! It's a neat website that allows you to choose from several different menu "plans". In addition, you even get to choose the shopping location you wish! For instance, I have signed-up for the low-carb menus from Wal-Mart. What e-mealz will do is every Thursday, they will email me a menu schedule for each day AND a shopping guide specifically designed for Wal-Mart SuperCenter. All I need to do is take my handy dandy shopping list with me to Wal-Mart and shop for the items on the list and then go home and follow the low-carb recipes for a new dish every night! I KNOW my hubby will be excited about this! It seems we have gotten stuck in a "chicken and rice" rut. I get home to defrosted chicken, stare at it for a minute and think to myself, "Okay, now what?" Taking advantage of e-mealz will allow for more variety in our week-to-week meals. Good news - it's only $15 per month (which equates to only 50 cents per meal! Yeah! I'll keep you posted as to how it works out for us.

In the meantime, I would appreciate continued prayers for my ongoing weight loss. I am fully relying on God to get me through. Discipline is not always easy, but I can do anything through Christ who gives me strength.

Pressing On...

W

Some Things Going on in My World

I know, I haven't posted anything in a few days. I have been incredibly busy. The weekend was a blur - heck, January was mostly a blur. It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact that Friday is February 1!!


So - here are some things going on in my world..

• I helped my friend, Faythe, do a Bridal Expo on Saturday, January 19. It was pretty fun. Met a lot of brides-to-be and talked to some pretty neat people.
• I started a couple new books. This one and this one. Both seem really good so far... but when I am going to learn to not read 2 at a time?
• Got to eat at this place on Saturday night with my hubby, daughter and my parents. YUM-O. It's only my favorite place on the planet!
• Played a game of "Would you Rather?" with my family this week. Hilarious game! You should get it if you don't have it!
• Got to serve with my amazing CLASS Serving team this past Sunday night. What a great group of people! They give so much so selflessly and it's something to see!
• My hubby won the door prize at the Bridal Expo. How funny is that? He just stopped by to see Faythe and I and upon coming through the door had to register. We got a call this week that he had won! I picked it up today... 84 Crest Teeth Whitening Strips! I'll be checking those out! Look for my brighter smile soon! :)
• Stepped on the scale this morning and I've lost 6 pounds in a little over a week! YEAH! Feeling good. Feeling energized. If I could continue to lose like that - heck yeah, I'd be in my bikini by May! (yeah right!)
• I've discovered that Taco Bell has a new "Fresco" menu. It's actually 9 items for all under 8 grams of fat! Loving it! (I'm a Taco Bell junky!)
• Anyone ever tried that Airborne stuff? You know - those little tablets (effervescent) created by a school teacher? Their packed with vitamins and good to take to build your immune system. I have been taking them for the past week in addition to my B-Complex and my energy has sky rocketed. With all the sickness going around, I figured I could use all the help I could get to try to remain as healthy as can be. No time for sickness in this house!
• I'm taking my daughter along with my niece this weekend to see Hannah Montana in 3D at the movie theatre. Should be lots of fun and the tickets were nothing close to what seeing her live would have cost us! Holy Cow!
• Getting ready for the upcoming Volunteer Celebration at church. Crossroaders - you don't want to miss out on a great night celebrating... YOU! February 9 at 7 p.m. RSVP by calling me at the office or sending an email to: volunteercelebration@ilovemychurch.org. We're planning a fun night - hope to see you there!

That's about it for now. Have a great week!

Week Two and Three

THANKS to the many people who have been following my blog and supporting my quest to get healthy in '08. It's because of the amazing relationships I have with so many of you who support me on a regular basis that I am able to push through every week.

I have to say - it's not been as bad as I thought it would have been. I have found that making wiser choices is getting easier every day. It's a mind game, for me... it really is. AND it's planning ahead! When I know there's a time when I'm not going to get home to eat, I play it all out in my mind... Where should I go where I won't be tempted to eat something I shouldn't? What will I order when I get there? I actually find that having this all planned out before I even get to the restaurant helps. Actually, I don't even look at the menu, as not be to discouraged by all the yummy LOOKING things I can't have. Eating, for me, is all in my mind, so I just have to play tricks on it is all! :)

The other thing that has helped is having a couple people with whom I am regularly accountable to. Michele - you're awesome! THANK you for checking up on me weekly to get the low-down on my progress. That means more to me than you will ever know! Having the support is something that is truly making a difference.

Here are my latest healthy alternatives and tricks I have learned these last couple weeks:

• I have stopped eating after 7:30 p.m. It helps me to not be as hungry in the morning. If I find myself getting hungry past this time, I just drink a glass of water!
• I LOVE crumbled Bleu Cheese on my salads. I found a really good (and inexpensive) Meijerbrand that is low fat. And it's more than 1/2 the fat of regular!
• Croutons make a good little snack.
• I've never been a yogurt eater - but I have found those little things really fill you up. Harvest Peach Yoplait rocks!
• Still loving the lettuce wraps at Jimmy Johns. I actually think I'm enjoying them better than the sandwiches on bread! (Wow - I never thought I would say that!) My favorite is the tuna with sprouts and cucumbers! YUM!

I'm learning and taking baby steps every day. Thanks for the prayers. Thanks for the support. Thanks for the emails and keep 'em coming! :)

Making Wise Choices

So last night on our way home from gymnastics class, Chloe says to me, "Mom, I have something to tell you. Please don't be made at me. I'm sorry." A bit intrigued, I said, "OK, baby, what is it?" "Well, at lunch today, I went up to get a milk and I saw some chocolate pudding sitting on the counter. So I bought one. When I got to the table I realized that I forgot that we were making wise choices, so I threw it away." "You threw it away?" I asked, now a little puzzled. "Yes, because it wasn't the wise choice and I felt badly for it, so I just got rid of it." Realizing that our life change was definitely having an impact on our 7-year-old daughter, I couldn't resist responding to her by saying, "Well, honey, you made the wise choice and I'm proud of you. But you know why I'm even prouder of you? Because you made the wise choice to be honest and tell me about it. Thank you for being such a wonderful little girl! God will reward you for being obedient. I love you."

I relish in these moments to be able to speak love into my daughters life. I realize that these days are precious. She's learning how to be the girl that God wants her to be and I couldn't be more proud to be her mom!

Quirks!

We all have them - - those little special things that make us who we are. I like to call them gifts - but maybe the real name for them is quirks! :0 I got to thinking about this at lunch today and I've come up with quite a list of my own quirks I'd like to share with all of you. Here's that list:

• For some reason when I'm at a fast food restaurant and I'm getting a lid for my drink, I can NEVER grab the one that's on top. YUCK! I have to find one in the middle - that way I know no hands have touched it (well, unless there's others like me out there who also grab from the middle - then I'm doomed! Maybe I ought to start carrying around my OWN lids and straws!).
• I NEVER drink ice water in restaurants. I won't go into the reason for this - I'd rather not say - but for some reason drinking ice water at restaurants makes me feel like I'm drinking toilet water! (I know - I have issues!)
• All of my dollar bills MUST be facing the same way in my wallet! (I know many others share the same feeling about this as I do!)
• I use loose change whenever possible. ie: bill comes to $6.44 - and all I have is $10's or higher - I will try my hardest to pay $10.44 - so I don't get the $.56 back! (My niece has made fun of me for years b/c of this!)
• I can't burp. Don't ask me why - I just can't. It's physically NOT possible. I can count on one hand the times in my life when I've actually burped on accident. It's just the weirdest thing... I know!
• I cannot bring myself to drink after anyone has used my glass! Even my own family. I just can't do it! If you take a drink of my beverage, you'd better plan on keeping it and drinking the whole thing - I just can't drink after anyone.
• When I get home at night I have a "ritual" for turning on my house lights. I turn on the curio cabinet first, then the 2 lamps in the living room and then I burn a candle. EVERY night. Doesn't matter if we are having company or not - the same lights have to be on and a candle atop of the T.V. must be burning. I like a warm, cozy environment - it's very important to me!
• After opening a straw from it's plastic or paper wrap - I must blow inside of it to make sure that there is nothing obstructing the straws path. (This is getting weirder by the minute!)
• I always put my socks and shoes on beginning with the LEFT leg. Always!!
• I cannot stand to have my belly button touched!! Even certain pants bother me if they rub the wrong way! Chloe used to be obsessed with my belly button as a baby and although it was very sweet - it bothered me so bad! Likes nails on a chalkboard!
• Talk about blood clots makes my wrists hurt! Literally! Ask those who really know me well and they'll tell you! I can't stand it!
• When I get home from work - the first thing I do is pony-tail my hair! (well, I guess that's after I turn on the house lights!) It's just in my way too much when I'm trying to cook, clean and get kids ready for bedtime!
• I have to have the T.V. on at night in order to fall asleep. My hubby hates this!
• I'm obsessed with organizational tubs. Small tubs, medium tubs, large tubs. Everything in my house that needs to be stored away is in tubs. I love tubs and I label them by season in my storage room in my basement.

These are just a FEW of the many things that make me who I am. What kind of quirks do you have?? I would love to hear from you! Make a comment and share yours!

Week One Is Behind Me!

Well... week one of my new "lifestyle change" is behind me! I have to say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I did really well. It wasn't easy every day - there were times I REALLY wanted a piece of chocolate - but all-in-all, it was a successful 7 days.

Here's some changes I've made and some things I've discovered...

• I'm now eating breakfast. I've never been much of a breakfast eater, and I have to say, this has been a challenge for me to place into my daily routine, but it's really helped. What I have noticed is that I'm not as hungry at DINNER time when I eat breakfast. That's just weird?
• I've cut down my caffeine intake dramatically. I'll admit it - I'm addicted to pop. It's something I typically begin and end my day with. I have cut my intake to one a day - IF that.
• Two days this week I've eaten salmon for dinner. Wow - the energy I got from this fish dish was amazing. I'll be learning how to prepare it at home now for sure!
• Unwiches at Jimmy Johns ROCK. These are sandwich replicas simply done on whole pieces of lettuce. YUM-O! As good as their bread is - you really don't miss it. These lettuce wraps are pretty tasty!
• Juicing is pretty cool! We bought this machine last weekend and I really like it! Trevor made a new creation yesterday morning... carrots, grapefruit and apples. I know it sounds gross - but boy, was it good! We'll be making that one regularly for sure!
  

I have to say one thing I didn't expect was - my migraines are back. Some people have told me that this is actually my body detoxing from all the junk I had become accustomed to eating. I guess that makes sense. My body is asking for fries and I'm feeding it slivered almonds. It's craving a snickers bar and I've replaced that with a caramel corn rice cake. I can see why body is reacting this way! :)

Continued prayers for me are appreciated! Anyone who makes life-altering changes, knows that there are challenges and stumbling blocks, but with Him, I know all things are possible.

I will continue to update you on my progress.

Thanks for sharing this journey with me.

Friends!

We were blessed this week with one of my favorite little guys... Diego. His mom and dad are away this week, so we had him overnight on Wednesday and Thursday. What a great time! It was nice having him and I know Chloe enjoyed herself! They did really well. That is - aside from the lack of sleep the first night! But - by round two the next night, we knew where we had gone wrong and all was well!

Here are some pictures of the little rascals.

Resolutions - It Has to be Done

Okay - everyone in blog world is doing it - so I must comply... (wow, that's a new thing for me). So - I've been thinking - and here are the top 10 things I hope to accomplish in 2008:

• Become a better wife.
• Become a better mom.
• Become a better daughter.
• Set aside at least 3 nights a month for a date night with my husband!
• Eat healthier foods.
• Exercise more! (isn't that everyone's?)
• Devote more time to focused prayer every day.
• Write a children's book. (this has secretly been a goal of mine for several years!)
• Listen more and talk less.
• Identify 3 things each day that I am thankful for and BE THANKFUL for them!

Okay - it's not extremely profound - but I needed real attainable goals and I think I'm good.

What goals do YOU have for the new year?

How We Roll

My new favorite saying is...

"That's how I roll!"

Don't know why I'm sharing that, just felt like bloggin'. :0

Have a great week!

The Last Supper

It feels like we're going to our Last Supper. Tomorrow starts a new life-change for the Bender family. We will be eating healthier and exercising a LOT more! Pray for me. It's NOT something I do well.... these "New Year's Resolutions", but I know with Christ, all things are possible.

So - tonight is Small Group night and we will be eating spaghetti. I know, I know... it's not like that would have been my choice for our Last Supper. I would have made it something fried, but none-the-less, it is what it is. Tomorrow, January 7, is the beginning of a new life for us. I have a hefty goal... I will share that with you sometime later this month on this blog. I believe 2008 is going to be a great year.

Pray for us, will you?

Call Me Crazy!

Call me crazy - but I just am NOT the same person unless I am "planning" something. OK - like I'm one of those moms who LOVES to plan birthday parties. I remember when I was planning my wedding - I was in heaven. I love to "plan" anything... Fourth of July Parties, New Year's Parties, Baby Showers, Wedding Showers, Engagement Parties, Christmas Gatherings. Anything that requires lots of work and tons of stress - - I'm there. My husband thinks I'm nuts. Perhaps I am, but nonetheless, I love events planning.

So - holiday time for me is HUGE excitement. I even "plan" our tree decorating day. I "plan" cookie-baking time, I "plan" shopping outings and yes - I even "plan" gift wrapping nights. It's truly a sickness.

The bummer is - the holidays are now behind us and I'm left with nothing to "plan". Well... at home that is. At work, there's always lots to plan and that's the part of my job I TOTALLY DIG!

So - in an effort to somewhat feed my "planning" passion, I have decided to throw a huge Sleepover Party for my daughter. Although she has had one friend overnight several times, she's never had an official "Sleepover" before. She's almost 8 - now's the perfect time! :0

So - first things first... we had to decide on a "theme". My brilliant 7 year-old daughter says, "How about a Star Theme!" Like - Starlight, Starbright? Sounds fun! So - we're off and running. I picked up the invitations already - man are they cute. I told her she could have 7 girls come over and stay and we would do a "campout" in the living room. I'm now on a hunt for those glow-in-the-dark stars and moons to hang all over the ceiling. It's going to be a great time!

Honestly, I'm not sure who's looking forward to it more - - Chloe, or mom!

Down Time!

So... I'm back! I know I haven't posted in a while... but I was enjoying some serious DOWN time with the fam! And man was it nice! I don't do down time very often, but when I do - look out! Trevor and I were actually off for a little over a week. I did work on Sunday and Monday at church, but I didn't have to go to the office (except for an hour and a half on Monday morning). The rest of the time I:

• Stayed up late.
• Slept in late.
• Ate lots of Christmas goodies.
• Took naps
• Played with my new MacBook.
• Played with my new Nikon Digital camera.
• Hung out with family and friends.
• Went to the movies to see this flick. What a hoot! I gotta own that one!
• Played games with my daughter.
• Had dinner with my husband. (that's seriously been a rare-idy lately!)
• Took my daughter sledding.
• Went shopping at the Apple store in Ann Arbor!

All in all, it was a GREAT Christmas. I am so thankful for down time! It was JUST what the doctor ordered!

Happy New Year ya'll!

Making a List and Checking it Twice.. or maybe Three Times!

We still do the Santa thing with Chloe every year. She's 7 years-old. And please don't write me a long list of reasons why doing "Santa" with her every year is wrong. We do it. She likes it. That's it.

So - I was telling her on Sunday afternoon that if she didn't finish her list for Santa that night, that it wouldn't get to the North Pole on time, because Monday was the DEADLINE! So - in a mad dash, she took off to her room to find the list and finish it.

This list cracks me up! I just HAD to post it. But PLEASE don't tell her I shared it with you... she would be devastated (and embarrassed) at some of her items. This is just too precious not to pass along! Oh - and I'm going to spell the items EXACTLY like she did. Here we go...

1. Violin
2. DS (this would be Nintendo DS)
3. Gum (yeah, that's right - the girl wants gum!)
4. High School Musical 2 (the DVD)
5. Hannah Montana Sell Phone (this is actually a 'play' phone)
6. Lipe Stick (Lip Stick)
7. A TV (umm.. not!)
8. Gres Shull (I'm still not sure what this is!)
9. Gutar (that would be guitar and she's still upset that Santa forgot that last year!)
10. Movies
11. Gitakstick Swet Pants (this would be gymnastic sweat pants!)
12. A Sled
13. The Simpson's Movie (umm... another not!)
14. Shrimp (what can I say - the girl has quality taste!)
15. Choocklet (this would be chocolate! Ahh - just like her mom! Shrimp and chocolate!)
16. Kids Cooking Set
17. Dresses
18. A Sell Phone ("cell" phone... this would be a real one. NO?)
19. Braselet ("bracelet")
20. A cat (might I add that even though she knows her daddy is allergic to cats, she still wants one and says she will keep it in her room!)
21. Games for DS (that's if Santa gets her the DS, otherwise, these are pretty pointless!)
22. Poop Corn (yep - you heard it! My daughter wants "poop" corn. I'm actually hoping this is popcorn!)
23. A puppy
24. Peja's (Pajamas)
25. Games for WII
26. Bells (??)
27. Pool (now you've gone too far!)
28. Cards (she clarified this as being "playing" cards)
29. World Puzzle (actually something she saw at Wal*Mart)

Okay - there are some things on this list that are do-able, some that are NOT do-able and others that are just down right not going to happen. Gotta love this imagination, though!

Christmas Traditions!

Every family has them - - those silly Christmas traditions that make the holidays so special! We have our own... and I thought I would share some of them with you today.

• Ever since I was a little girl, we have always driven around on Christmas Eve to look at all the Christmas lights in our city. I remember as a girl - it was magical - the way the city looked all "done up" in rainbow colored lights! My husband and I have carried that tradition into our family as well, however, we added a little twist to it. We look at lights through local neighborhoods with the WINDOWS DOWN. I know, it's typically freezing out - but not when you come fully equipped with blankets, mittens, hats, scarves and hot chocolate in thermos containers! It's still so cool and I get just as excited about this tradition as I did when I was a little girl!
• I'm not exactly sure how this one got started, but for the past 6 years or so, after the passing of my father-in-law, my husband, my daughter and I stay the night at my mother-in-law's on December 23. We wake up on Christmas Eve and then enjoy a breakfast together before we split up to do last minute shopping, baking etc. It's a lot of fun. We stay up really late and eat and drink hot chocolate. It's a real highlight of my Christmas holiday!
• Every year I hand write a letter to each member of my immediate family... my husband, my daughter, my mom and my dad, and place them in the Christmas tree. In the letter, I tell them how much they mean to me and for all the things I'm thankful for that year. Even before opening stockings, I have them open the letters and read them. It's just a nice way to reflect on what's truly important!
• Since my daughter was about 4, we have been making a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve. On Christmas afternoon, after dinner, we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus as a family. What a really neat way to celebrate the true meaning... Christ's birth. I have to say - this one is my daughters favorite! (oh, did I mention, she gets to pick out the cake flavor and frosting?)
• On Christmas night, sometimes (not every year, so does that count as a tradition?) we go see a movie. It really depends on what's out that particular year. This year it looks like it might be Alvin and the Chipmunks - although I've received mixed reviews.

Those are some of my family traditions. There's more - and every year we add a couple new ones. I'm interested in what other family traditions YOU might have... please share and Merry CHRISTmas!!!

Speechless!

I cannot recall a time when I was more speechless than I was this past Saturday, December 15. In fact, I was not only speechless, I was typeless. I wanted to blog about this Saturday night, but the words just wouldn't come. They didn't come. They still won't come. All I can say is that God did a phenomenal work through Crossroads Community Church this past weekend!! He was truly lifted high through the efforts of our amazing volunteers to bring food to a hurting community. I've never been a witness to such selfless love and dedication! It was by far one of the biggest moments of my life.

To the Project Share leaders who embraced the vision from the early days of planning... THANK YOU.

To the 450+ volunteers who showed up, in the freezing temperatures, to serve our God and our community... THANK YOU.

To the agencies who partnered with us to make this vision... this dream of helping hurting families a reality... THANK YOU.

To the God who loves us & who blesses us beyond measure... THANK YOU.

If you missed Project Share, you can see the amazing video here.

Because No One Should Be Left Out...

Blogs I Read

I have been asked by some what blogs I read on a consistent basis. Seems now-a-days, everybody's blogging... here are some of my favorite that I follow pretty consistently..

Steven Furtick - Lead Pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, N.C. He is ONE of the COOLEST guys I've encountered in blogsphere!

Perry Noble - Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church in Anderson, S.C. - see the theme - the Carolina dudes rock out!

Sherry Moorhead - Sherry is the Director of Volunteers at NewSpring Church in Anderson, S.C. - I would like to meet this person who has direction over 2,000+ volunteers week in and week out! Wow - she's incredible!

Kem Meyer - Kem is the Communications Director for Granger Community Church in Granger, IN. I met her once. Well - okay, I didn't actually MEET her, but I SAW her at the conference I attended in Granger last month. It was so cool. It was like seeing a celebrity walk into a room. She seems way cool!

Mark Waltz - Mark is way cool, too and is a staff pastor for Granger Community Church. I got to listen to his story a bit during my Granger conference experience last month. This guy has the guest experience nailed down!

Tim Stevens - Gotta love this guy! He's one creative dude! His role is the Executive Pastor for Granger Community Church. Got to listen to him at my Granger conference last month, too. He co-lead the session I attended on Volunteerism with Mark Waltz.

Kathy Guy - She is the Director of Community at Granger. Aren't these titles so extraordinaire? Love her blog name, too... Because Relationships Matter. Isn't that what it's all about?

Scott Hodge - Scott is the Lead Pastor for the Orchard Church in Aurora, IL. I love to read his posts! This guy is so passionate about what he does - LOVE that!

Mark Batterson - Mark is the author of one of my favorite books, "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day". Haven't read it you say? Go pick it up! Now. Do it. Mark is the Lead Pastor for National Community Church in Washington D.C. Yep - it's called the theater church! Why? Check it out for yourself!

Who are we serving?

This has to be the best blog entry I've read in a long time! Brilliant!

I'm always talking about customer service on this blog... but this one knocks it out of the park as far as I'm concerned!

Who are we serving? Who is our customer? Great questions for the church to ponder.

It's SNOWING, It's SNOWING!

OK - so I just had to share in my excitement!!!! It's snowing!!!!! I have been indoors cleaning closets out and I just noticed that our pond is completely white!!!! I am so excited.

I remember when I was kid I thought snow was magic. There's just something about that first snowfall that IS still truly magic to me.

Gotta go - - gotta run outside with my daughter to relish in this moment...

Stories!

One of the coolest parts of my job is hearing all the God-sized, life-altering stories. Honestly, it's why I do what I do. It's what keeps me coming back to work everyday. Motivation. Inspiration.

For the past few weeks we have been talking about an outreach that Crossroads is heading up on December 15 entitled Project Share... Food. Love. Hope. (read my previous entries about the project.) It's been amazing to see the number of people who have stepped up and stepped out to help a community of hurting, hungry families. The most exciting thing for me are the stories I've had the privilege of hearing about. Stories of sacrifice, of paying-it-forward, of giving selflessly to something bigger than Christmas presents. Here is just a glimpse into some of those stories...

"My family and I traditionally do a $25 white elephant gift exchange since our family is so big. It's been fun and it's made us laugh over the years, but this year, I encouraged everyone to donate to Project Share their $25 that they would normally spend on their white elephant gifts. Because of what Crossroads is doing, my family and I will make a substantial gift to your project. In addition, it opened doors for me to be able to invite them to your Christmas services. Thank you!"

"I didn't know how I was going to give. I knew I wanted to give something, but I have nothing. I'm selling things in my house to raise money to donate. This is such a good cause and I'm grateful to be a part of it!"

"I want my kids to see what it's like to be less-fortunate. We want to deliver boxes to homes so my family can be a part of something so much bigger than themselves!"

"Thank you for Project Share! Going through the devotionals has helped my family and I tremendously! Our family normally goes up north between Christmas and New Years. Because we've been so touched by Project Share, we have decided to donate the money we would normally spend on the vacation to the project. Thank you."

"My kids go to Crossroads, but we don't, however, we've been so moved by what you all are doing we want to help. Can we help serve anywhere on that day even though we don't attend?"

WOW! Our God is an AWEsome God!

Will you pray with me for all the individuals who will serve at Project Share on December 15 and pray for the families who will be receiving Food, Love and Hope this holiday season?

I'm a new GREAT AUNT!

I am a great aunt...

My niece, Tiffany, gave birth to baby Jayvian Lee on November 16 at 4:25 p.m. He is perfect if I do say so myself!

This is one of my favorite pics of him! Love that baby yawn! :)

A Violin!?

Okay - so my daughter isn't much into 'toys' anymore. Well - - to be honest, she never was. I remember the times when we would practically need a fork lift just to haul the things out of grandmas living room on Christmas morning! It was THAT bad. We would buy her all kinds of toys, but in reality she would never play with them! Last year the big ticket items was a Bitty Baby from American Girl Doll Company! I got her the doll, 5 outfits and my mom got her the baby crib for the Bitty Baby. I can probably count on ONE hand the times I actually saw her playing with that doll and that crib! I think her playmates got far more use out of it than she did!

So - this year my baby is 7. She's not into toys and has no real need for anything. I'm not just saying this because I'm her mom and I KNOW she doesn't NEED anything - but that's exactly what she told my sister-in-law over the Thanksgiving break. When my sister asked her what she wanted from Santa this year, her response was fairly simple - "I need nothing. I don't play with toys, I don't like Barbie's and mom won't let me have Brat dolls! I just want a violin this year. That's all really!"

Um - - okay! I think I can... I mean I think SANTA can do that!

To be honest, she's a bit obsessed with playing an instrument and I can't figure out if it has less to do with actually playing an instrument and more to do with feeling like a big girl carrying her case in with the other students who take lessons at school once a week! Either way, we want our daughter to play an instrument and if she says she wants the violin, I think we owe it to her to try it out.

To that end - - does anyone know where I can purchase an inexpensive violin? Perhaps maybe even a used on in good shape?

This is going to be the easiest holiday shopping ever! :)

Thankful!

I can't believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving already! I have to admit - I am excited about the snow we're supposed to get this afternoon/evening! It's just an added bonus getting it for Thanksgiving instead of having to wait for Christmas! :)

Here are TEN reasons I am thankful this Thanksgiving...

1.) For my Jesus who died for ME and who loves me unconditionally!

2.) For my wonderful family! Thanks for loving me despite my imperfections (oh, my many imperfections!)

3.) For my wonderful friends! Thanks for believing in me, standing by me and sharing your life with me!

4.) For my health.

5.) For the food my family will be able to consume this Thanksgiving Day! For turkey, mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, rolls, sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkin pie and did I mention mashed potatoes?

6.) For my home. That I will have a safe, warm place to be this Thanksgiving holiday!

7.) For some time off from work to relax and refresh at home with my family.

8.) For the soldiers who are serving our country so selflessly this holiday season who won't have an opportunity to be home with their loved ones.

9.) For the shopping centers all across America that will be open at the CRACK of dawn on Friday so that crazy fools like me can be out freezing their rear ends off just to save a couple bucks on Christmas gifts!

10.) For this blog - - a place where I can share my thoughts on being thankful! :)

Happy Turkey Day!

What Matters...?

Got this in an email today and wanted to share it...

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip. You don't have to actually answer the questions. Just read the e-mail straight through, and you'll get the point.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name t he last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. They are not second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are NOT the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones who care.

Where Do They Come Up With This Stuff?

So - I was on my way to my mom and dads this afternoon to take Chloe over there for a couple hours while I went to work. I don't know where she got this from, but clear out of the blue she says, "I KNOW the rules for grandma and grandpa's house... Don't make them tired, Don't hurt them, don't eat all their food, listen and SHUSH!"

I couldn't stop laughing....

Where in the world do they come up with this stuff?

(my parents got a real hoot out of it too!)

It's ALL about the Guest Experience!

I have been working hard to take my serving team to a whole new level for 2008. We have some amazing things in the works and I am excited about the direction God is leading us and look forward to ways He is going to lead us in the upcoming year!

I have created a Volunteer Handbook that I am slowly, but surely adding to every couple months. I just finished part 2 and I wanted to share that with you today.

My serving area is all about the guest experience. What we realize is - - there are people coming through our doors this coming Sunday from all walks of life. Some have never been to church before. Some have been scared off from church in the past. Then there are the ones who are skeptical... who aren't really sure about this whole place called church and who this "Christ" man is. Three things I continually stress to my team are:

• We cannot lose sight of why we do what we do!
• There are people who are depending on us week in and week out who need Christ - - we've got to BE ON OUR GAME to deliver the best guest experience possible.
• Christ died for every person walking through our church doors every week... they need what we have - they need to know how much they are loved!

I recently had a meeting with my team and challenged them the following:

To make 2 personal contacts the next time they serve. This should be a "personal" interaction with a new person or someone they've never seen or talked with at church. In addition, I am asking them to do the following:

• Make Eye Contact
• Smile
• Greet them with, "How are you today?", "My name is ____, how can I serve you?" and "I'm glad you joined us today!"

I've asked everyone to report their interactions at our next All Team meeting in January.

What I do know is this... people want to feel that they belong. They want to be included and they want the interaction. We have the opportunity of a lifetime... it's up to us.

The following the addition to your Volunteer Handbook... it's something we're incorporating into our Team's culture. (excerpts taken from "Be Our Guest" Perfecting the Art of Customer Service)

What’s Happening Center Guidelines for Guest Service 11/2007

Make Eye Contact and Smile!
Start and end every Guest contact and communication with direct eye contact and a sincere smile.

Greet and Welcome Each and Every Guest
Extend the appropriate greeting to every Guest with whom you come into contact.
“Good morning.”
“Welcome!” / “Have a good day.”
“May I help you?” / “How can I serve you today?”

Seek out Guest Contact
It is the responsibility of every member of this team to seek out Guests who need help or assistance.
Listen to Guests’ needs
Answer Questions
Offer assistance

Provide Immediate Service Recovery
It is the responsibility of all members of this team to attempt, to the best of their abilities, to immediately resolve a Guest service failure before it becomes a Guest service problem.
Always find the answer for the Guest and/or find another team member who can help the Guest.

Display Appropriate Body Language at All Times
It is the responsibility of every team member to display approachable body language when serving.
Attentive appearance
Good posture
Appropriate facial expressions

Preserve the Guest Experience
Always focus on the positive, rather than the rules and regulations.
Talking about personal or job-related problems in front of the Guests is unacceptable.

Thank Each and Every Guest
Extend every Guest a sincere thank-you at the conclusion of every interaction.Extend a “Thank you for being with us today” or similar expression of appreciation as the Guest leaves our serving area.

Again, I am looking forward to seeing where God takes this team in the upcoming year! I am so blessed to be working along-side of some wonderful people!

The Cutest Thing Ever!

SURELY this is the cutest thing I have EVER seen!

Please be sure to watch it!

Oh... and get your Kleenex BOX!

W

Self Serve Lanes

I'm one of those people who was not blessed by God with patience. It's just not part of my DNA. I pray about patience all the time - - it's just something I struggle with.

So - grocery lines really TEST my patience.

Grocery time for me is traditionally Monday evenings after work (5:30'ish). Note to everyone who is looking for a routine day/time - - don't choose Monday's at 5:30 p.m. unless you have a couple of hours to spend. Not at Wal-Mart anyway!

Today is Thursday... I'm a little late in shopping this week. So - needless to say, there were some things I HAD to get like bread, chicken, milk... you know, something to actually MAKE a meal with. SO... I headed to Wal-Mart for a "quick" trip. hahahaha!

Can someone PLEASE tell me why we even have the "speedy" Self Serve lanes in these places??? REALLY! Half the time they don't work and EVERY time I end up losing patience before I'm finished. First of all - the darn scanners never work. Then you have to wait for an employee to come over to punch in some 39 digit code to allow me back in to scan... that's IF she or he's not too busy talking to another employee in the lane beside me! Then the skip bagging deal - - seriously - what's that about? Okay - I can't place everything on that little scale at the end so naturally I am going to skip bagging to put the items in my cart. Then my red light begins flashing and my screen says "Too many skip bag items, please see store clerk." Okay - another 5 minutes waiting for the cashier to mosey over to see how she can totally be inconvenienced by my presence. Then I FINALLY make it to the finish and it's time to insert my cash. Yeah right! After putting in dollar bill after dollar bill being rejected by the silly machine, I'm ready to bust b/c now the machine is repeatedly telling me "please insert cash, please insert cash." Um -- lady, I'm trying to!!!!!

I don't think I'm going to self serve again...

Family Devotions!

I love doing family devotions. Really gives my family a way to connect. Especially in the hectic-ness of our everyday lives... it gives us a chance to come together and talk about the ways in which God has blessed us!

I have to say - I am PUMPED UP about a GREAT thing Crossroads is doing this holiday season. This year we have decided to replace our annual Summer's End Carnival with an outrageous outreach that we've entitled, Project Share: Food. Love. Hope. This project is like nothing we have ever done before. On December 15, 2 semi's filled with food and personal care items will be delivered to the grounds of the Christian Family Centre. We will have enough food and care items to personally deliver to 800 families who will be less fortunate this season. Each box of food will be enough to feed a family of 4 for a week! I can't wait! I feel tremendously blessed to be able to partner with other Crossroaders to make this Christmas a special Christmas for families in our community suffering from hunger.

One of the neat things we are offering families in our church community is a family devotional book. There are two family devotions each week leading up to Project Share. Each devotional includes a lesson and a family activity.

This week's activity is about Food. The family activity is about finding ways to share food with other people this week. Here is what my family came up with:

• Donate can food items to the local soup kitchen.
• Prepare a meal for a family in our neighborhood.
• Make a plate of cookies for the staff at my daughter's school to let them know how thankful we are for them and what they do for us week in and week out.

It's SO much fun to think about the MANY ways we have been blessed and in turn, how we can bless back to others.

As my family gobbled up our dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches and chili, we thanked God for all the blessings in our lives that we have so taken for granted. Our heat on this cold, fall night, warm water to take baths in, TV to watch, vehicles to drive, lights to read by, soap, soft pillows, clean clothes, loose change in our pockets... the list goes on and on.

Thank you, Father, for providing abundantly for us. Help us to be mindful of those less fortunate and may we be a blessing to others because of your love for us! Amen.

Recipe Friday

These look fantastic! :) I LOVE sweet potatoes!









Sweet Potato Fries


2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon low-sodium chili seasoning
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
Use peeler to peel sweet potatoes.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise then cut into 1/2-inch thick fries.
Place sweet potato fries in a large mixing bowl.
Add oil and spices.
Toss until they are thoroughly coated with spices.
Spread fries in a single layer on prepared baking sheet.
Place in preheated oven.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes turning once to ensure even cooking.
Remove from oven and serve hot.

Making an Impression

One of the things that we strive to do at Crossroads is make a lasting impression on our guests. To make their first time through our church doors not only a great first impression, but to wow them with an overall terrific guest experience.

I'm reading a book entitled "Beyond the First Visit" and it's about connecting guests to your church. What gets them in the front door and then what keeps them coming back. It's unfortunate, but the church today competes with all kinds of other opportunities presented on Sunday morning. What is the church doing to create irresistible environments where people are excited to come back next Sunday? When was the last time YOU were wowed by your church? This is taken directly from the book (some language altered) and I thought I would share it this afternoon...

If you were a guest visiting your church...

1. Would you be impressed with the facility and landscaping?
2. Would you be able to find the restrooms without asking?
3. Would you feel comfortable leaving your child in kid's church?
4. Would you understand what takes place during the worship experience?
5. Would you feel embarrassed or pressured during your visit?
6. Would you be greeted and accepted as you are?
7. Would you come back next week?

Just some interesting questions to ponder. Let's not get so comfortable with our own environment that we forget about those who have yet to experience the greatness we have experienced! The story we have to share about how much God loves them is TOO AWESOME not to do all we can to make the first visit a great one!

What Was I thinking...?

Well - obviously last night, I wasn't thinking at all!

So - there I was in line at Country Market with ALL my $100 worth of groceries and the cashier JUST finished ringing up my last 3 items when I felt like I was going to pass out! YES - it happened! I had left my wallet (with money, bank cards AND checkbook) at my office! You should have seen the look on my face when she read me my total, "That will be $96.27 ma'am." It didn't help that I was shopping during PEAK hours when the store was REALLY busy. So - needless to say, I had to suck it up and tell her I had NO WAY of paying and that I would have to be back once I went to get my wallet! How pathetic am I? And HOW did this happen, you ask? Well - b/c for whatever reason I just brought my wallet into my office yesterday - not my entire purse and somehow I just walked off without it! Nice!

So - after retrieving my wallet I headed back to the store to ring up the groceries a second time and actually pay for them!

This week's off to a great start already! Gotta love Mondays...

My Dad...

I have a great dad! He's truly a gift to me and my family.

Yesterday, I got to spend time with my dad. We had lunch together. It's not often that we have these moments... life is busy and I just don't see him as much as I would like. But yesterday I was reminded of how precious these moments are.

I wanted to share just some of the MANY things I love about my dad...

• He's a real man of God.
• He's a loving grandfather.
• He's loyal.
• He's generous beyond measure.
• He's understanding.
• He's gentle.
• He's funny!
• He's dependable.
• He's smart.
• He's my dad - and I love him!

Today I just wanted to pay tribute to my friend, my mentor... my dad. THANK you for your love. THANK you for giving me life. THANK you for being you!

Happy Halloween Recipe FRIDAY

These are really cute and look like fun! I always like to make some special treats this time of year... :)

We're Off to See the Wizard!

Yep - it's official, Chloe's gonna be Dorothy for Halloween! I tried talking her into this last year and she wasn't interested. This year - she complied. No... actually it was HER idea!

I love the Wizard of Oz! It's got to be one of my ALL time favorites!

Now - - to find the red ruby slippers... :)

When God says, "Slow Down!"

What do you get when you work like a horse without a break, eat on the run all week long, have multiple projects going at one time and get very little sleep in between? The flu! That's what you get! And I got it last week! God spoke.. "Slow down." I failed to listen. He spoke again, "Slow down." I still failed to listen. So - - he made it so that I had NO OTHER CHOICE than to slow down! I'll admit - it drives me nuts to slow down. I just like the fast pace life. Always got something planned... always have somewhere to be and someone to see. That's my life. But every now in then, we have to take time to s-l-o-w it down a bit. Take time out for ourselves - - to take care of ourselves and nourish ourselves back to health!

Next time God says, "Slow down" I'm gonna listen...

Recipe Friday

Making this for a shower that I am hosting for my niece tomorrow afternoon... I hope it turns out...

AUTUMN APPLE PUNCH

1 1/2 qt Apple juice
2 Cinnamon sticks
8 Whole cloves
1 1/3 c Pineapple juice
1/2 c Lemon juice
2 pt Orange juice
28 oz Ginger ale

Place apple juice in a NON-aluminum kettle; tie spices in cheesecloth, add to kettle, and simmer uncovered 15 minutes; discard spice bag. Mix spiced juice with remaining fruit juices. To serve, place a large block of ice in a large punch bowl, add fruit juice and ginger ale.

Ramblings (and other useless information)!

Hello blog world! I know, I know... I haven't been too consistent lately in my blogging. I wish I could write every day - - but I am close enough to my goal of 3 times per week. :)

So - - here are some ramblings of things that have been going on in my world as of late...

• Sunday evening I finished all FIVE of my daughters classroom baskets for the all-school auction coming up this Saturday, October 20 at her school. Wow! That was an undertaking! I agreed to lead the charge for the five baskets donated by the parents of Chloe's second grade classroom. What a job that was! But they did turn out nice, I have to say. We did 5 themed baskets that will be auctioned off this Saturday. The themes we did are, 1.) Bath Time Fun Basket, 2.) Baker's Basket, 3.) College Exam-Cram Care Basket, 4.) Boredom Busters Basket and 5.) Half Time Snacks Basket. If you're planning to attend the auction, now bid generously! :) They are WORTH it!
• I am preparing for my niece's baby shower this coming Saturday, October 20 at my house! Wow! Yes - another big project I'm leading the charge of. It will be exciting! She is having a boy (Jayvian) sometime in November. :) First baby and YES - this will make me a Great Aunt for the SECOND time! I feel so old!
• I'm just getting over what I think was a touch of the flu. YUCK! There's nothing worse than being sick! Makes you SO appreciate the times you feel good! Thank you, God, for my health!
• Remember my blog on "Conversations" where I talked about interviewing someone to work the What's Happening Center at church on Sundays? She joined the team! I am so excited! She's going to add so much energy to the team! Welcome aboard, Lisa! :)
• The staff at Crossroads is reading this book right now. It's a good one so far! We've actually gone through most all of Lencioni's books! If you haven't read any of them - I highly recommend them!
• Project Share is well under way, Crossroaders! Keep your eyes and ears open for more info coming soon! This will be an AWESOME project and a great way to contribute to the needs in our county! Stay tuned for more...
• Chloe has a dentist appointment tomorrow afternoon. Pray for her! This will be her third visit in a month. The problem is - she has teeth coming in at a rapid speed, but she's not losing them quite as quickly! Last time we were there she had to have a filling and a baby tooth removed to make room for the new one popping out. Tomorrow she will need to have another tooth pulled on the other side of her mouth! Let's just say - she's not too happy about that! She doesn't mind the work they do - she just hates to be numbed. Who really enjoys that anyway? Her biggest worry: How will I be able to eat? Oh - she's her mommas child indeed!
• We visited one of my favorite stores on the planet this past weekend. I SO miss going to this place! I couldn't go there enough when Chloe was a baby! Stuff's a little pricey - but just being in there made me yearn for another little one!
• Can I just say that I have the best husband in the world! When I was down sick the other day, he went to Kohl's and bought me new bedding for our bed! It's a set we had been admiring the weekend before. When I was sleeping, he snuck out to Kohl's to buy it and then came home and put it on the bed. It looked picture picture when I woke up! I think he's a keeper!
• Chloe takes gymnastics every Wednesday night at Maple City Gymnastics. She loves it! I must admit though, she is not the best one in her class. As a matter of fact, I was a little frightened the first couple of times that she might be in a too far advanced class, but I think she's catching on. It's been a while since she was in gymnastics and so, getting used to things again was a little challenging. It's super-fun to watch, her, though, and I really believe it's building self-confidence!

Recipe FRIDAY!

This looks so good. And it's the perfect time of year. With the
cooler weather here - this is something I might even make this weekend! :)

BTW - if you haven't been to this website yet, you've got to check it out. They have some tasty and simple recipes. This one came from there. ENJOY!

Layered Pumpkin Loaf

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 egg whites, divided
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened

PREHEAT oven to 350ºF. Grease a nonstick 9x5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Mix pumpkin, 1 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened. Set aside. Beat Neufchatel cheese, remaining 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar and the remaining egg white with wire whisk until well blended.

SPOON half of the pumpkin batter into prepared pan; spoon Neufchatel cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with remaining pumpkin batter.

BAKE 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to loosen bread; cool in pan on wire rack 10 min.

Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Conversations...

Got to hang out and have a great conversation with a wonderful woman this morning about the possibility of joining my team, the What's Happening Center, at my church. She is a great lady whom I feel has a lot to offer. She's outgoing, energetic and has a real "eye" for customer service. I am so thrilled about the possibility of her joining us, beginning next month!

Crossroaders out there - - we are currently seeking individuals who are ready to take their next step toward Christ and hop on board with us at the What's Happening Center! We have GREAT opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference in the lives of our guests and attenders!

If you have a heart to serve... we want to talk with you!
If you have a desire to see life change... we want to talk with you!
If you want help people take a next step at Crossroads and with Christ... we want to talk with you!
If you want to be a part of a team who loves God and want to serve Him fully and faithfully... we want to talk with you!

God is doing incredible things here at Crossroads and I am so blessed to be working along side of some of the most amazing volunteers on the planet! If you want to be a part of something BIG, something GOD-sized, consider getting involved with the What's Happening Center, where we get to be a part of God's design of changing lives!

If you are interested - - simply email me (wendy@ilovemychurch.org). I'd love to talk with you about how we can get your plugged into your new serving role!

Today...

~ I woke up 20 minutes late for work. I totally have NO idea how Trevor's alarm AND my alarm both failed to work!

~ I went to Tim Horton's for breakfast... plain bagel, plain cream cheese, toasted with a large drink. Can I just say that I LOVE the customer service at T.H.'s. They totally get it! I honestly can't recall a time that I waited for anything there!

~ My daughter received a 100% on a pre-spelling test. YIPPEE! She has the skill of memorization!

~ I saw a friend of mine I haven't seen in ages. She is just recovering from a divorce from her husband of almost 12 years! They were married before Trevor and I were! I went to their wedding. Very sad!

~ I forgot to pick up water softener salt from the store - - AGAIN!

~ I read a chapter from this book. What a good read. This is the only book I've read in a long time that I actually have to put it down after each chapter to allow myself time to "process" the information.

~ I made dinner for my family -- Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta. They liked it and both of them ate seconds! :)

~ I thanked God for the fall and the cooler weather that we're about to be blessed with. I am so over the 85 - 90 degree days!

~ I walked into a MESS my dog made while we were at work. He actually climbed up on top of the kitchen counter and ate an ENTIRE plate of chocolate chip cookies I made on Saturday!! Can I just say he's a 115 pound Golden Retriever that was almost sold to the first bidder on ebay this evening! ARRGHHH!

I can't Wait Until Thanksgiving...

... I'm making this now!

I made this last year when we had Thanksgiving at our house and it was a HUGE hit. I couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to eat it again. I bought the items this week to make it this weekend. You HAVE to try it!

Recipe Friday

Cornbread and Andouille Stuffing

2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound andouille, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced garlic Basic Cornbread, recipe follows
3 slices white or whole wheat bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 large eggs, beaten
1 to 2 cups chicken stock, as needed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl to cool. With your fingers, crumble the corn bread into the bowl, add bread, the green onions, parsley, and thyme, and mix well with your hands. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and eggs, and mix well with your hands. Add enough broth, 1/2 cup at a time, to moisten the dressing, being careful not to make it mushy. Transfer to the prepared dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Basic Cornbread: 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the vegetable oil into a 9-inch baking pan or heavy cast iron skillet. Place the pan into the oven as it preheats, allowing it to heat for at least 10 minutes. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and egg to the mixture, and stir well to blend. Pour the cornmeal batter into the preheated pan and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or using in the dressing. Note: When making the dressing, make cornbread the day before. Yield: 8 servings

Random Thoughts Part II

I like to blog this way. Let's me get out all of that "stuff" that's seemingly locked away in my brain... so here it goes... my Random Thoughts Part II:

- I'm so getting these for this winter. Laugh all you want - but these shoes ROCK! If you haven't tried on a pair of regular Crocs yet - - let me just tell you what you're missing! Comfort... pure comfort, baby! Gotta get these ones made for the winter months, though!

- Inspired by this website, I have decided to sit down with my hubby each Sunday and actually "plan out" the weeks meals! I decided to do this for 2 reasons... 1.) I was tired of going to the grocery store each Monday and buying things - but nothing really "for an entire meal", just some random things (not to mention I shop when I'm hungry, I know - bad idea!) and 2.) It makes it a lot easier than getting home to try to decide what the whole family would like for dinner. This way - it's chicken - or NOTHING. It's Taco Salad - or NOTHING. Got the idea here?

- There are only 85 shopping days left until Christmas! Can you believe it??

- Two of my friends recommended this movie. I'm planning to take Chloe on Friday night! :) Can't wait!

- I started a new book this weekend. It's called Confessions of Pastor by Craig Groeschel. It's pretty good! Very easy read.

- I bought 5 new movies at Wal*Mart the other day for only $3.98 each!! They are... Mission Impossible 2, Mission Impossible 3, Dreamer, Failure to Launch and The Last Holiday. Not bad for less than $20. I love Wal*Mart!

- So am I the worst mom in the world? Last week, my second grader came home with a fundraiser envelope from school. Honestly, I did look through the book, but it immediately got trashed. I DON'T do school fundraisers. At least not the kind where you have to actually go door-to-door selling items from a book. I have no desire to ask my family and co-workers for money to help my daughters school or classroom earn more money. I don't do them for 2 simple reasons... 1.) The quality of the items aren't anywhere close to the price you have to pay! and 2.) I have no desire to bombard people who are already being bombarded by 12 other students hoping you'll buy what they're sellin'! No thanks, it's not for me. I'd rather give a cash donation to the school or classroom instead of guilting people into buying from us!

- I'm currently in the market for a new vehicle. I have to be honest, though, I detest going car shopping. My hubby, on the other hand, will do his homework THOROUGHLY before buying anything. I've already decided on this. :) (Trevor - you need not look any further!)

I'm So Making This!

I haven't tried this yet - - but it's on my list...

Recipe FRIDAY...

Chicken and Bows

1 pkg Bow Tie Pasta (16 ounce)
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 c chopped, sweet red pepper
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (10-3/4 ounces each)
2 c frozen peas
1-1/2 cups milk
1 t garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.

YUMMY! Maybe I will try this one tonight! :) I like the fact that this one is EASY and not requires minimum time! (I never have very much time!)

Thanks for stopping by!

I've Got a Secret!

I have to tell you - I am pumped up! Our church is getting ready to launch something... something big. Something exciting. Something that's going to rock this city in a mighty way and I get to be involved in it! And so do you, fellow Crossroaders reading my blog... but I can't tell you. Sorry.

I know, I know - you hate that, don't you? But honestly - it's going to be awesome! Be praying for the ministry of our church. I truly believe that God is preparing us for something extraordinary, Crossroads. Fasten your seat belts...

My New Favorite Song

My husband says I have too many favorites! Maybe he's right... I don't know.

This is my new FAVORITE song! I just listen to it over and over again in the car. I'm probably driving my daughter nuts! It's by Casting Crowns (# 7 on their new album, Altar and the Door). Here are the lyrics:

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?
Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle?
Are we caught in the middle?

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control?

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle!

Random Thoughts

Here are some random ramblings for you on this beautiful fall morning...

- Do you ever notice how stingy the people are in the drive-thru's with ketchup packets and dressing packets? Seriously - whenever I go to places like Taco Bell, I always place my order and at the end say, very clearly, "with EXTRA mild sauce, please." You would have thought I asked them for their first born child or something, because I always get up there and find like 3 sauce packets in my bag. Come on, people, ya' making me crazy!

- I sing in the car. I mean, I GET DOWN in the car. I feel sorry for people driving next to me - they must think I'm crazy! If you see me rockin' out in the car - just ignore me, please. :)

- I bought the new Casting Crowns CD yesterday afternoon. WOW - you've got to get it. Tracks 4 and 7 are my fav's so far!

- I've been tracking my hits on this blog for the past month. It appears the average number of readers (hits) per week is 152! :)

- What's with the 90 degree temps?? I say - bring on the fall weather. Nothing like a couple months of 65 degree days! I'm ready to be done with the hot, please!

- So, this week, my 7-year-old daughter, Chloe, jumped off the diving board at the CFC pool. I could hardly believe it when she told me! She's come a long way from even a few short months ago when she wouldn't even get her face wet! Yeah, baby!

- I had a goal this past summer to read 15 books. I only read 3. My goal for the winter won't be as high so I won't feel as bad about it when I don't make it! I just realized I've read 2.5 books within the past three weeks - - and I couldn't make it to 15 for an entire summer?

- I miss my friend, Roxanne, so much. It's been almost an entire year ago that we lost her, yet it feels like only yesterday. I love ya, Rox!

- I'm totally geeked. I had a Lia Sophia party last night and I had a $600+ show... so that means, I'm getting like $157 of FREE jewelery. Another $50 order would bump me up to $261! YEAH! Anyone still wanting to order may do so - - I am closing my show on Sunday night.

- I had to use dictionary.com twice this week to look up definitions of words I didn't know. Can I just say I love this website and I love learning new words. (No, I'm not telling you what words they were - you might laugh at the fact I didn't know what they were!)

The ATTITUDE!

Seriously - all you mothers of girls can help to answer this.. when does the "attitude" begin with girls? I'm referring to the "You can't make me" and the "It's not fair" attitudes? I swear, I would not have guessed it to begin as early as the second grade! But it's begun in my household and it's been all I can do to not pull my hair out (although I think it is turning grey!)

So this morning when I got Chloe up, I THOUGHT it was going to be a good morning. I was wrong. From the moment she placed her feet onto her bedroom floor - it was one crisis after another. First her shoes didn't fit right, then her shirt felt "funny". Then she couldn't find her wallet (she received $4 from the tooth fairy last night so she needed to put her money away). Then she didn't want to brush her hair but absolutely refused to let me touch it. Then she didn't want to put a coat on, then she wanted tennis shoes on, but couldn't find socks to wear with them. By the time we got in the car, I felt like I had wrestled a tiger. I was sweating from head to toe, forgot my lunch, dropped my cell phone on the garage floor causing it to break (not completely, it was fixable) and after arguing over shoes to wear, ended up putting my daughter into her booster seat in the back seat with NO shoes on. I have to say, by the time I got in the drivers seat, I was NOT happy. So... the "little" talk began. I told her that these types of mornings were "unacceptable". I explained that when I get her up I expect her to be ready to go with teeth brushed, hair combed, shoes on, backpack ready, water bottle filled and the dog fed. I even found myself saying, "This isn't rocket science, Chloe, these are simple things I need to have done in the morning." ROCKET SCIENCE? Where did that come from? THEN I proceeded to tell her that when we got home, she would have to clean out the entire back seat of my vehicle. It's been a mess back there for weeks. Books, crayons, stuffed animals, shoes, wrappers - - you name it - it's back there. She proceeded to pout saying that I'm mean and she always has to do everything. I said, "Well, you said the other day you want to earn money and I'm not going to give you things and give you money if you can't help around here." (I know, a simple "do it because I said so" would have been fine here - but I feel I always have to justify.) I couldn't have prepared myself for what she was about to say. She replied with, "You don't give me money or anything anyway!!!" ARRGHHH!! Part of me wanted to scream out, "Where do you think that money from the tooth fairy anyway??" but I refrained from that! At one point she did retaliate with "Some of this stuff back here, you put back here!" to which I replied, "Oh yeah, well I don't wear your underwear, but I still wash them every day!" Good one, Wendy!

Bottom line is this - - it used to be that when I got after her or scolded her, she would cry and would get very remorseful. Those days are long gone. Instead, all I get back is attitude and it's killing me!

HELP - - are there any mothers of little girls who can sympathize with me or can give me some great advice on what works or has worked for you???? Hurry - - before I lose my mind!

50 Things You Need to Know About Me

Hey there!

So - yesterday morning those of us on staff at Crossroads went on a Team Building Adventure with the LISD. It was a lot of fun and we even got to know some things about each other we didn't know (or perhaps, in some cases, never wanted to know). :) All-in-all it was a good day. Lots of team-building stuff that, hopefully, will make us stronger as one team serving one purpose.

So it got me thinking - I am sure there are a ton of things that my readers don't know about me. So - I've started my own "tag, you're it list". The first person I'm tagging to respond on their blog is my good friend, Faythe.

50 Things You Need to Know About Me
1.) I love Jesus!
2.) I love eating chocolate frosting straight from the can!
3.) I am an only child (and no, I was not spoiled rotten!)
4.) I cut my right arm open on a barbed-wire fence when I was 9 and had to have 13 stitches.
5.) I love the rain and storms!
6.) Fall is my favorite time of the year.
7.) I am addicted to email. Seriously - ask those who know me well how often I check it even on vacations!
8.) My first job was working at an ice cream store (and I ate more ice cream than I sold, I'm sure of it!)
9.) Friday is my favorite day of the week!
10.) My dream, since I was a kid, is to become an elementary school teacher.
11.) In school, I often got in trouble for talking to much. My report cards often read, "disturbs others in class". (I know, I know... you find this SO hard to believe - but it's true!) :)
12.) My husband and I bought a vehicle on Ebay 5 years ago and drove all the way to Minnesota to pick it up and bring it home - all within 2 days!
13.) I once won a "prettiest feet contest".
14.) I had more male friends in school than female friends.
15.) I own more than 10 pairs of black shoes!
16.) I'm afraid of heights!
17.) I actually had fun and enjoyed planning my own wedding!
18.) My first boyfriend was in Kindergarten and his name was Justin.
19.) I like some rap music.
20.) My favorite subject in high school was English.
21.) My least favorite subject in high school was History.
22.) My favorite color is Burgundy.
23.) I love the smell of gasoline.
24.) I cry at Hallmark commercials!
25.) I broke my collar bone hanging upside down from a swing when I was in 2nd grade. OUCH!
26.) For my 21st birthday, my parents flew my boyfriend and I to Chicago for an afternoon.
27.) I've never had a cavity in my life!
28.) I went on a blind date once and choked on a piece of cheese pizza! (no kidding - it was awful!)
29.) I never went on another blind date again!
30.) I took a vacation when I was a senior in high school with my dad to Puerto Viarta Mexico and drank Fuzzy Navels for breakfast! (not recommended!)
31.) I hate to fly!
32.) I love to color with my daughter! It helps to relax me!
33.) I would eat Mexican food 5 days of the week if I could!
34.) I've seen the movie Titanic more than 20 times!
35.) I wrote a song when I was in high school.
36.) When I was a kid I used to think that that was my face on the Wendy's Restaurant sign! I asked my grandma, "Grandma, when did I have red hair?"
37.) My two favorite holidays are Christmas and Halloween!
38.) When I was in the fifth grade, my friend and I had a fake band. We called ourselves, "Timeout". We did concerts for my parents in our living room every Friday night!
39.) My bedtime is 11 p.m. most nights.
40.) When I can't sleep I read.
41.) My best friend (through junior high and high school), Rob, was shot and killed in Colorado January 5, 1992.
42.) Our limo driver left my husband and I on the night of our wedding and we had to ride home with friends of ours in the back of their car!
43.) I was in active labor with my daughter for 3 days!
44.) My favorite song at the moment is "By His Wounds".
45.) In my opinion Coke is much better than Pepsi!
46.) I skipped my American Lit class every day my senior year of high school.
47.) In November I will be a great aunt for the second time! (gosh I feel old!)
48.) My dream job would be to own my own party planning business.
49.) A friend of mine from high school still lives with her parents. She's 34.
50.) I like red grapes better than green ones!

Am I Back in School Too?

Ahh - - the beginning of a brand new school year! I LOVE September. I love it for so many reasons... school is back in session and that means back to a "normal" or "semi-normal" routine, fall is nearing and leaves are beginning to fall off the trees, the air is a little crisper and of course new seasons of all my favorite shows are back (particularly CSI and House M.D.).


Chloe is in Second Grade this year! I can't believe it! When I dropped her off on last Monday, it seemed impossible that she is big enough to have her own locker and be in the big grade school wing! Simply impossible! But - she's growing up and it's happening right before my own eyes!


Can I just say - - what's with all the paperwork that comes home on a regular basis? It's like I am back in school! Almost every night she has papers that come home that I need to sort out. And it's not like I am one that can just push them aside. I have to take care of them AS they come in. So - - each night - there I sit, doing MY homework. Organizing school papers, managing homework that needs to be returned the next day, sorting out papers that she brings home that is already graded, keeping a calendar of all the events going on within the next few months. YIKES! AND of course, I'm always the mom that volunteers for any and everything. What's wrong with me? Seriously - I enjoy it. I tend to feel more guilty because of my hectic work week and not always being able to help within the classroom. I always try to help out where I can and how I can at home. :0)

Well - - I've gotta go - I'm sure there are papers I should be sorting or homework I should be reviewing...