Paying it Forward... Part 1

So...there I was in the drive-thru of our local Wendy's restaurant a week ago and God was speaking to me. Yeah - he was probably saying I didn't need the breaded chicken sandwich I was getting ready to order, but that's not what I'm talking about. I felt like God was telling me to "Pay it forward." I know, in theory, what this means, but I wasn't feeling much like doing it on this particular afternoon. I wasn't even sure what God was SPECIFICALLY trying to tell me. See - I'm one of THOSE kind of people. Don't beat around the bush with me - SPELL IT OUT. So... I guess I pretty much shrugged it off and went on with my day. (I'm so stubborn.)

Fast forward to today.

My niece calls me and I didn't get to the phone right away. She called back 2 more times within 3 minutes and I missed every call. (Yeah - darn iPhone sucks lately!) This is how our conversation went...

Tiffany (my niece): "Aunt Wendy - you know a LOT of people, right? And you practically know EVERYONE in your church, right? And your church is really big, too, right?"

Me: "Um.. yeah, I guess. WHY?"

Tiff: "Well - do you know a guy named Rob? He's between 40-50 years old, stocky with a black mustache."

Me: "Tiffany, honey, I'm good, but not THAT good. What else you got?"

Tiff: "That's it. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

Me: "Um, not really. I don't think. Give me a minute."

So our conversation went on just like this for a couple minutes. It was quite amusing. I love Tiff. She's like my first daughter. That kid makes me smile!

In short, here's what happened...

Tiffany has been struggling to make ends meet for the past week or so. Her boyfriend doesn't have steady work, she is a FULL-TIME student on top of working almost a FULL-TIME job and she's a new mom to 7-month-old, Jayvian. She has big bills now that she's never had to deal with before and she's trying REALLY hard to make ends meet. Did I mention, she's a GREAT kid with a GREAT head on her shoulders? Just down to pocket change until her next paycheck comes in at the END of this week.

She attends school in Toledo and knew she would need gas money for the week, so she asked to borrow $25 from her grandma, of which she would pay back as soon as she got paid. Note: she is very true to her word, so grandma obliged!

Well, we all know how far $25 will take you - and these days, it's not very far. It wasn't. She ran out of gas 1/2 way through the week.

She remembered that she had $8 left on a Wal*Mart card and decided to head there to spend what she KNEW was remaining on her card. As she attempted to swipe her card - it was clear that there was nothing on it by the loud voice telling her to "PLEASE PAY INSIDE."

She stood in the heat, baby in the car and cried. She didn't know what to do.

That's when her angel came up from behind her. We'll call him Angel Rob. He told her that he wanted to pay for her gas and proceeded to pump $25 worth of gas into her tank.

She cried harder and told him that he didn't need to do that. In fact, she even asked "Why are you helping me?"

His response was priceless... "Because we're all down on our luck once in a while and it's my way of PAYING IT FORWARD." (OK God, there it is!)

When the gas was pumped and paid for, Tiffany turned to him and asked what his name was. He told her it was Rob. She said, "How can I ever repay you, Rob?"

Another priceless answer...

"I just want you to pay it forward to someone else the next time you see someone in need."

WOW!

Tiffany - thank you for sharing this story with me.
God - thank you for using my niece to show me what you want from me.

Rob didn't want anything from Tiff other than to pay it forward. No reward is greater than knowing you are making a difference in someone else's life!

It's time to PAY IT FORWARD.

Part 2 coming...

Down Time?

Sometimes we all need a break. I guess today was my turn for one.

Last weekend was a very busy weekend. Heck - all of last week was a very hectic week and I think my body has finally crashed.

Was supposed to go to the zoo with Chloe's class today... I didn't make it.

Had a migraine all night long. That led to some sort of stomach thing.

Spent the morning throwing up. Spent the afternoon (ALL afternoon) sleeping!

Continued prayers would be appreciated. Another big weekend ahead of me. No time for sickness!

Thank you, Lord, for this reminder...

Matthew 11:28

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

The Secret

I'm currently in the middle of a GREAT read. I can't hardly put this book down.

Now I know I complain a lot about customer service - but I read something this morning that could be the secret. So many times we look to the employee as the one who has the problem. After all, shouldn't they be HAPPY to at least HAVE a job? One would think so, but maybe it's more than that. Maybe it's all in the way they're treated by their employer.

Years ago my father owned his own insurance agency. I used to tell him ALL the time that he was the best boss in the world. I didn't work there, but I saw the way he treated the people who worked for him and I was impressed. Very early on in my life, I learned that if you treat the people who work for you well, you have NOTHING to worry about. Translation: if you trust them and give them opportunities that challenge them and encourage them, you will have an employee for life and it will automatically make them a better employee! I know, it's simple thinking, but I believe SO MANY companies don't get this concept!

I'd like to share with you what I read this morning that, if more businesses put into practice, would improve overall customer service...

"...the most important people in this business are our employees! Some people will say customers are most important, but if we create the right atmosphere where our employees enjoy their jobs and have opportunities for growth, they will get a kick out of their work! Then that feeling will spill right over to the customer!... We remind them that they're not just working for a quick-serve chicken restaurant. They're working to create an atmosphere. "

That's my favorite line.. "They're working to create an atmosphere."

It's true, isn't it? How many times have we said, "I'm not going back there" simply based on the atmosphere or the experience. Here's what I know I'm checking out when I visit a restaurant...

• Friendliness
• Cleanliness
• Timeliness

In that order.

I want friendly service first. If I don't get it - I'm probably not returning.

I want a clean environment second. If I don't get it - I'm probably not returning.

I want my food served in a timely fashion. If I don't get it - I will think about coming back - but only if 1 and 2 are present.

So - this caused me to take a moment to think about the church. Without our volunteers, the church would not, could not, operate! Period. Our volunteers are the heartbeat to everything we do and they better know how much they matter. They better know that they're making the difference. Not just A difference - but THE difference! We're not selling chicken sandwiches - we're selling Jesus Christ. What do you think the list my look like for those checking out church for the first time? I would bet it looks very similar to my list above.

Are we working to create an atmosphere? You bet! Do our volunteers know how important their role is? I sure hope so! And I pray that it spills over to the guest on Sunday morning.

Summer is Here!

Had a BLAST this weekend. Went here and played in the water Sunday and Monday. If you haven't been before, here are some of my suggestions based on my experience...

• When they tell you that you can check in as early as noon, don't believe them. They don't actually "guarantee" your room until 4. We weren't in until 5:20 p.m.! The good news was, they granted us a late check-out the next day because of our delay.
• Book a room for 2 nights. Honestly... it's worth the extra night. We didn't see a quarter of what we COULD have seen had we been able to stay one extra night.
• Bring your own food. They don't allow coolers in the actual water park, but you can bring them in the rooms. Food prices are very high.
  
• Visit the candy shop before you leave. KILLA chocolate! Oh - and caramel apples the size of a human head!
• Be prepared to WALK a lot! It's a lot of walking and a lot of climbing up to the slides.
• Even though I'm sure it's a great experience in the winter months - if you can, try to visit in the summer so you can use the outdoor swimming facilities. It makes it so much more worth the money you pay for a ticket!
• Wait until you get inside the park to get towels. You can get as many extra towels as you need from the towel stations set up around the park... but if you ask for them at the entrance of the pool - they limit one per person (so I couldn't get them for my entire family unless they were actually WITH me).
• Wear sunscreen even if you intend to stay inside the entire time. I have but 2 words to say about this... Skylights. Sunburn.
• Bring extra money for the arcade! You can't even get INTO the water park without going THROUGH the arcade. Smart design!
• Make sure to cancel the automatic $45 they charge your credit card to open a "line of credit" so that items can be automatically debited from your water park wristband. NOT a good idea, especially if the card you booked the room on is NOT the card you plan to pay the room with. (Note.. true story - this happened to my niece. She booked the room on her debit card and only had enough to pay for the room. Everything else was going to go on her boyfriends card. They proceeded to bill her $540 for a line of credit for $45 for the 12 people in her party WITHOUT her knowing anything about it!) Be careful.

Overall - it was a good time and I would go back! :) FUN WEEKEND!

Is It Me?

Okay - so I'm beginning to think it's me. That's it - there must be something wrong with me! My husband told me NOT to blog about this - but I'm going to anyway. I'm sorry - I love you, honey, but I have to get this one out.

So - - last night my family and I took a trip to a local retail store to do a little shopping for some summer clothing. You know - bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts... that sort of thing. One of the things I LOVE about this particular store is their jewelery! They are known for always having quite a variety of colorful, low-cost jewelery, and when I'm visiting the store - I always make it a point to do a pit-stop at the jewelery kiosks first thing!

Last night was no exception.

I found this really cool bracelet. It was made of chocolate and silver beads with pretty shells dangling from all sides. Even better - it was 50% off! I was pretty excited.

I know I get excited by the simplest things.

So - we finish up our shopping and head for the check-out line. It was a long line. I was tired and ready to be done shopping. (Yeah - must have been something wrong with me!) Oh - and I was grouchy because I was hungry too.

Finally it's our turn to check-out and I lay my stuff up on the counter - delicately placing the bracelet up on top of the other items I was purchasing. The guy behind the counter takes the clothes and flips them up and the bracelet goes flying... landing on the cement floor and breaking in half. Not only that - all of the shells went fling and THEY broke in half as well.

Okay - so it's not that the bracelet broke. That's not the point. It was a mistake. Mistakes happen. What I was unhappy about was the way I was treated by the cashier. He simply looked down on the floor and said, "Yep - it broke!" to which I replied, "Yeah it did! All over too! Bummer - I really liked that bracelet!" So what does he do - he takes the pieces from me and tosses them up on his counter, continuing to ring me up while talking to another co-worker about how he "can't wait to get out of here!"

So I ask - shouldn't the sales clerk have said to me "Ma'am, can I have someone get you a replacement bracelet?" or at the very least, "I'm sorry about that."

I received nothing. AND at the end of transaction - not even a thank you, but instead a "Here's you receipt.. you're all set."

Can I just ask - am I the only one who gets poor customer service - or am I just too picky about the way I feel customers ought to be treated during a sales transaction?

GREAT weekend!

I LOVE long weekends. This past one was a GREAT one!

It all started on Friday night. The fam and I went shoe shopping! (You know the weekend's gonna be good when you start off with a trip to the shoe store!) It was BOGO and we took full advantage! I got a pair of sneakers and sandals. Chloe got a pair of Sketcher tennis shoes and sandals. We also ate at this place which was delicious! (It doesn't quite compare to this place, but it'll do!!)

Saturday was cleaning day. All day. We got a lot done and did not crash until 8:30 p.m. when we finally ate dinner! Good day!

Sunday morning was church. Sunday night we had our really good friends, Tom and Michele, over for dinner. FUN night hanging and laughing with friends! Killa time! :)

(I have to add something here. Chloe was invited to go camping with my nephew for the weekend - so for Sunday and Monday Trevor and I were actually like newlyweds again! I love my child - but I have to say, spending some down time alone with my hubby was pretty neat!)

Stayed up late Sunday night. Slept in late on Monday morning. NICE!

Went to breakfast with my man on Monday morning and then took a long ride in the country. Sun roof open. Windows down. It was SO relaxing! (We used to take long rides in the country when we were first married - - and it's been a while, so it was nice!)

Monday night we had another cookout - this time with most of Trevor's side of the family. Brats, burgers, beans... yeah - we had it all!

Great relaxing weekend! Was really tired this morning!

Is it Friday yet?

So You Think You Can Dance?

So now that Season 7 of American Idol is over (Yes - and David A. lost although I still say he should have won) this is my new favorite show...

Asking Questions

Lately I can't get enough of podcasts, blogs and video stream from other churches and pastors who are on fire for Christ and for reaching people who are far from Him.

I ran into a blog post the other day where Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, was being interviewed. He was being asked the question... "Taking a look at the Evangelical, Capital C Church... what would be the one thing you'd like to see happen?" Here is how is responded (simple. brilliant!):

"To me it's all about one thing... 'Is it all about Jesus?'... at the end of the day, are people learning about who Jesus is and what he's done... every church has to ask themselves that - 'Are we talking about Him... Are we making much of Him or are we trying to give people principles without power'... meaning 'follow His example, but don't live in relationship with Him'."

Customer Service?!?

Anyone who knows me knows that I place a HUGE emphasis on Customer Service. Whether I'm shopping, eating at a restaurant or attending a recreational park/event, I'm making mental notes on how I am treated and I'm making a determination on whether or not I will return based on my overall experience.


Yesterday was no exception.


I was in one of my favorite local stores. I'm going to avoid telling you where I was at - but just know it's a BIG name store and a place I frequent quite often.


So - I have this coupon for $40.89 that's only good through 5/24. I realize it on Sunday and decide that THIS week I will try to redeem my coupon in full. I'm excited. I mentioned already that it's one of my favorite places to shop, right?


So I get my things and I head to the checkout lane (the ONLY ONE they have opened. At lunchtime when it's pretty busy.)


I finally arrive to the counter and the young girl rings me up. She gives me my total - $45.13. Hmm.. I thought I was being careful to not spend above the coupon. I must have given a puzzled look because to this the employee says, "What?"


"Well - I thought my total would be less than that." "NOPE! $45.13" she says.


Okay... here's where my frustration sets in.


I hand her my coupon. She scans it in and then gives me my new total - $4.24. I give her the money and she takes it, completes the sale and hands me my receipt.


After taking a look at the receipt, I notice that 2 of the items were rung up incorrectly. I ask her about it and sure enough she says, "You're right. I guess I'll have to give you back your change!"


Umm - you think?


She struggles a bit with the cash register, but cannot get it to give me back my change so she now calls over a manager.


For what seems like forever, they mull over the receipt. The whole time, the employee is complaining about the new system. In fact, one time she even goes as far as to say, "This new system sucks!" What does the manager do - she says, "YES it is!"


Oh my word. I'm not happy at all at this point.


To top it off, now the manager is mad and verbalizing her anger at the "system" quite loudly.


Manager: "This computer is CRAP!"


Yes - you read that right - the manager actually said the word "CRAP" in front of me - the customer. The guest.


Long story short - I get my change (finally) and I'm on my way.


It really got me thinking, though, about how businesses treat their customers. Their guests. If I were in charge of this store, I can tell you that these two individuals would be talked to about what is appropriate to say in front of the customer and what clearly - is not!

It got me pondering some questions... Where have our values gone to? Who is in charge of making sure that these two employees KNOW and UNDERSTAND the value and vision of the company? Why is behavior like this so common and even more so - tolerated... accepted? Where do we as consumers draw the line and decide that we don't have to be treated poorly when we can get the same product down the street with better customer service - even if it means paying the few cents or dollars even more for it!

That is why I am so passionate about guest services at Crossroads! If employees for Disney can get PUMPED UP about a mouse - shouldn't we be even MORE PUMPED UP about serving up Jesus every Sunday morning? Guests who drive onto our campus every Sunday deserve to have an experience that EXCEEDS their expectations. I tell my teams every Sunday - we need to BLOW THEM AWAY. We need to give God our best every single week... because anything less is unacceptable!

I know I've promoted this book time and again on this blog - but I'm gonna do it again today. Be Our Guest is a GREAT book about perfecting the art of customer service. It's a great read! I have encouraged those who are on my team to read this book and am challenging my leadership team right now to go through it. We will be spending the summer combing over the book from cover to cover and will begin implementing changes this fall. If you have a heart for customer/guest services - pick up the book! You won't be disappointed!

I'd like to pick one up for the two employees at the store I visited yesterday...

Magnoliaisms

My favorite movie of ALL times is Steel Magnolias. It's a classic! If you haven't seen it and you're into the whole chick-flick thing - this is a MUST!

I was in Target the other day and they had it on DVD for $5. I picked it up... since my only copy is a very old VHS tape.

I watched it last night. Don't know why - nothing special - it was Monday night - but I just felt like watching it is all. What I realized is - there's a lot of really cool one-liners in this movie - several of which I have used pretty frequently since I first saw the film more than 18 years ago. Here are some of my favorite lines from the movie...

• "Drum - you are the boil on the butt of humanity!"
• "Looks like the entire church has been hosed down with Pepto Bismol!"
• (referring to shoe size)... "In a good shoe, I wear a size 6, but a seven feels so good, I buy a size 8." "These are size 9" "Perfect!"
• "I don't trust anyone who does their own hair - it isn't normal!"
• "Relax! You can't screw up her hair. Just tease it and make it look like a brown football helmet."
• "You know I'd rather walk on my lips than to criticize anyone!"
• "Pink is my signature color!"
• "THIS is going in the hairdo Hall-of-Fame!"
• "The nicest thing I can say about her is all her tattoos are spelled correctly!"
• "This is football - all people want to hear about is touchdowns and injuries!"
• "I never worry, mama, cause I know you're worried enough for both of us!"
• "There's so much static electricity in this room, I pick up everything but boys and money."
• "Time marches on and eventually it marches right over your face."
• "Don't try to get on my good side, Truvy. I no longer have one!"
• "The only reason people are nice to me is I have more money than God."
• "Oh, Sammy's so confused he don't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt."
• "If you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me."
• "I have a strict policy - nobody cries alone in my presence!"
• "Wow - I'm gonna paint my front door red and call myself Elizabeth Arden!"
• "I'm not crazy, I've just been a very bad mood for the last 40 years!"
• "Why are you in such a good mood - did you run over a small child or something?"
• "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."
• "The sooner my body wears out, the better off I'll be. I can't get enough grease in my diet!"
• "I don't see plays because I can nap for free at home."
• "Smile! It increases your face value!" (boy - I say this one a lot!)
• "You are evil and must be destroyed!"
• "You know I love you more than my luggage!"
• "You're too twisted for color T.V."
• "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion!"
• "She could never stay mad at me - she worships the quicksand I walk in."

Rain...

"Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory.

And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You

... Jesus, bring the rain!"

-MercyMe

Empty Me

I picked up a new CD last week - Chris Sligh. You might remember him from Season 6 of American Idol. He was voted off pretty early in the competition, but he had (has) a wonderful voice and went on to produce records. He is now a recording for a Christian label and has a top hit out right now entitled, "Empty Me". Its lyrics really resonated with me as I was listening to it this morning on my way to work. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did...

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood.
And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough.

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.

I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thing Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing Compared to you.

So, I surrender all!

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.

Empty me.

Humility

One of the greatest characteristics that I admire above all others is Humility. I totally admire men and women of God who are humble.

Now, I'm a BIG American Idol fan. I don't watch a lot of T.V. - but for me, on American Idol night - leave mama alone - I'm watching! For those of you who are fans of Idol, you'll know what I mean when I say it's down to the David's! David Archuleta and David Cook will be the two finalists who will go head-to-head next week, dukin' it out for the crown of victory! I've watched the show since the very beginning and I have to say, it's quite a toss-up on who's going to come out on top this time. These are both extremely talented guys! Both bring a unique flavor to the competition and I can't decide which way it's gonna go! Either way - I'm confident that both will have record deals before the end of summer and we will be seeing lots more of the David's in upcoming years.

Last night as they recapped each Idol's journey - I was blown away by how HUMBLE David Archuleta is. For him, it does NOT appear to be about the fame and glory. For him, it's about his love of music and, in his own words David says, "I just want to make people happy with my music." You can see one of the Fox News interviews he did here. I have to tell ya - you can't help but smile when you watch this! He's great!

I wish more people could be like David. I wish I could be more like David. Being humble and just loving what you do for the love of doing what you do... that trait is so admirable!

The life of Jesus is the perfect example of humility. He was not pompous and arrogant. He humbled himself before those who would later persecute him. Just one example was the washing of his disciples feet. Read John 13:12-14. Jesus humbled Himself on numerous occasions so that others would believe He is the Savior! And of course there was the greatest example of humility - His death on the cross. Jesus humbled Himself greatly before God for our Salvation.

I pray that I can learn to be more humble. More like Jesus...

Matt.18:4
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

James 4:6,10
"God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

FLUBBER!

Chloe and I made FLUBBER today! How fun! It's easy - and can I just say - pretty fun to play with. We made Green and Purple! This is a GREAT project for the kids to help with! Here's the recipe:

In a Large Bowl, add:

• 2 cups of Elmer's All White Glue (one 16 oz bottle is just right)
• 1 1/2 cups of very warm water
• Food Coloring of your choice (This is where Chloe had the most fun!)

Mix the above ingredients thoroughly and set aside.

In a Small Bowl, add:

• 1 1/2 cups of very warm water
• 3 tablespoons of Borax
  

Dissolve the Borax completely in the water.

Now, pour the contents of the small bowl slowly into the large bowl. Stir the mixture until it starts to "flubberize". Let is sit for about a minute and then remove the flubber. (Note: there WILL be extra water - you can just squeeze the flubber to drain the water.)

Store in an airtight container.

I actually bought these really cool containers at K-Mart by American Fare ($2.79 for 2) that are quart size with a lid and they work great and the flubber fits perfectly!

Have Fun!

Pantry Items

I'm never one who's good at making dinner on the fly. I mean, I really need preparation and time to process through what we're going to eat... but here's a list of pantry items (and fridge items) I typically am never without:

• Spaghetti Noodles and PREGO Spaghetti Sauce. It's gotta be Prego!
• Goober Grape (you know - the peanut butter that's mixed with grape jelly in the jar!) :)
• Wheat Thins or Triskets
• Cans of Mushrooms
• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. It's gotta be Kraft!
  
• Cans of Tuna Fish
• Cans of All White Meat Chicken
• Rice
• We almost always have a container of Goldfish crackers on hand!
• Shredded Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Mayo AND Miracle Whip Light
• Penne Pasta Noodles (Trevor's favorite noodle!)
• Cans of Corn (I almost always have 2 cans, especially in the winter months)
• Cans of Green Beans (the Whole Beans)
• Taco Seasoning
• Pink Lemonade container
• Bread Crumbs
• Hate to admit it - but we usually have a bag of Doritos on hand - - it's a family fav!
• Milk
• Lots of bottles of Nestle Water
• Granola Bars
• Some kind of Salsa
• Cream of Mushroom Soup (you can make anything with that stuff!)
• Tomato Soup - it's a must have!
• Baked Beans (especially in the summer months for cookouts!)
• Vanilla Extract
  
• Garlic of any kind (it's gotta have garlic in it to be any good, right?)
• White Onion
• Chocolate Chips

I guess I should be thinking about what I'm gonna make with this stuff! I'm on it!

Serving with Friends

Got to hang out with some incredible people yesterday and last night! The CLASS team at Crossroads is packed with some amazing people who really have a heart and passion to serve the people of our church! I LOVE hanging out with these people - because there are some things you can just count on spending the day with these folks. You can always count on:

• Laughing your head off! Seriously - my stomach muscles were KILLING me last night!
• The team just getting the job done. I tell ya - these folks just KNOW what needs to be done and they do it! No questions asked!

Thank you to the following people for Making the Difference in the lives of those taking their next step at CCC:

• Faythe Emens - for being my right hand WOman!
  
• Larry and Cindy Fry - for traveling ALL the way and staying late even with the long drive!
  
• Chuck and Debbie Beck - for getting to church early to stuff bulletins and still being willing to stay late into the evening. AND for the delicious treats!
  
• Scott Bennett - for going to Wal-Mart for the extra 24-pack of water we needed!
  
• Joe Bennett - for making sure the supplies were purchased and ready for Sunday!
  
• Marvin Howard - for your servants heart! We have a lot to learn from you, Marvin! God is working on you and it was a pleasure having you do a first serve with the team!
• Shaun Plato and his tear-down team - for coming back to help with tear-down of all the tables, chairs etc. You guys are amazing!

Thank you, team! Thank you for demonstrating Christ's love. Thanks for serving. Thanks for YOU!

I look forward to August when we get to do it again!
(hey - and if you want to serve on this amazing team - let me know... we can hook you up!) :)

Random Thoughts In My Head!

I know I've been really bad at posting lately... and it's not because I don't have anything to say. Just too busy, I guess. Here are some thoughts that have been going through my mind lately - and I guess they just have to come out...

• This weather is INCREDIBLE! Seriously. If it could just be like this for the next 5 months, I would be sincerely satisfied!
• Got my hair done yesterday. I cannot tell you how dissatisfied I was! 3 hours at the salon. 3 hours of sitting until my rear end was soar and my back was killing me. 3 long hours and $162 later and I have absolutely nothing to show for it except for non-existent highlights and a bad cut. I won't get in to details... let's just say the salon I've been going to for the past 10 years will NOT see me again. Truthfully, it's quite sad. We build relationships in those salons. But I just can't see spending that kind of money and still leaving with undesired results.
• My great-nephew, Craigon, turned a year old today! Man do I feel old!
• I just finished adding some events to our family calendar for April and May. WOW - just stepping back and looking at April - it is seriously packed! No wonder I'm exhausted!
• For the past several weeks, Trevor and I have been protecting our Saturday's. It was a little difficult for us in the beginning - but we realized that we needed a family day that could NOT be interrupted or filled with anything that the family didn't decide on as a family. It's now a day we just KNOW belongs to us. We sleep in late, clean house, read, play outside, shop or get out for a bite to eat. It's awesome. Do you have a day that you protect that totally belongs to your family? If you don't - you need one!
• Getting a date night with my MAN on Friday night. Chloe will be away at a sleepover, so it's out on the town for us! I can't wait!
• I just realized that I'm crazy about hand sanitizer! I have one bottle in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in my car, two in my purse and one at work. A friend recently told me that she heard that in order to kill germs effectively, the alcohol content in the sanitizer should be 60% of higher. You'll be happy to know mine are good. I checked.
• The geese are back! We live on 11 acres with a pond in our back yard. Year after year two geese return to share the summer with us. We're weird... we named them. They are Mary and Larry. This year, they brought friends back with them. There is now an entire family who wakes us up long before we're ready to open our eyes... Mary Larry, Jerry, Perry, Barry and Carrie. I hope they don't bring more next year, we're running out of names!
• Tennis Rackets must be my gift of choice this year. Got one for my buddy, Diego, and then my hubby got one this week for his birthday! We were gonna play tonight - but we couldn't locate courts that weren't full. Went to the park instead. :)
  

That's it. I need sleep!

Random Useless Facts

I love useless facts. Don't ask me why. I don't know why. I just do.

Here are some to share with you today. Did you know...

• The 'Zip' in Zip Code actually means Zoning Improvement Plan.
• 40% of McDonald's profits come from the sale of Happy Meals.
  
• There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
• Baskin Robbins once made ketchup ice cream.
• Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button.
• An egg, when placed in water with sugar will float.
• Chewing gum while cutting onions will actually help so you don't produce tears.
• Diet Pepsi was originally called Patio Diet Cola.
• Americans this year will spend more money on cat food that baby food.
• 40% of Americans have never visited the dentist.
• Each year there are 40,000 toilet related injuries in the United States.
• During his or her lifetime, the average human will grow 590 miles of hair!
• More people are killed by donkeys annually then in plane crashes!
• The ball on top of a flagpole is called a 'truck'.
• More than 10 people a year are killed by vending machines.
• Frogs cannot swallow without blinking.
• Banana's aren't fruit - they are a type of herb.
• In Florida it is illegal to sing in a public place while attired in a swimsuit.

Maybe I'll have to continue this one later... this stuff is interesting! :0

Enjoy ~!

Loving this weather!

Seriously - if it never got any warmer than how it was today - I would be one happy camper! Honestly - it doesn't get much better than that! Our bedroom windows are still open... :)

Got to hang out in the park with Chloe tonight. Had a blast watching her jump from one thing to the next in total excitement. "Mom - watch me!" "Mom - look at me do this!" "Mom, isn't this cool?"

The greatest part of the whole night... having Chloe grab my hand as we walked away and telling me, "Mom - I love you so much! You're the greatest!"

MELT!

Looking forward to more spring evenings at the park!

I had this friend...

... and she passed away this past December. I didn't have many connections to her family - I had meant her through work about 10 years ago. She was a really neat lady with a real spunky spirit. I always looked forward to her calls. She would start out asking me a "work" related question, and it always ended at least 20 minutes later with us talking about our kids, spouses and late night T.V. We had developed a friendship through our working relationship and I counted it an honor to call her my friend.

When I read the obituary in the newspaper shortly before Christmas, I remember thinking what a tragedy it was - for her husband she left behind, for her kids, for her grandchildren and for the friends whose lives she'd touched. What was the bigger tragedy was not knowing where my friend was spending eternity. I started thinking about all of the "missed" opportunities I had to tell this friend about Jesus. Did she know how much He loved her? Did she know what kind of sacrifice He made for her? Did she know about the gift of salvation and did she have a relationship with Him?

My prayer today is that I don't miss the opportunties to share Christ with those I love. Because it's a matter of LIFE and DEATH. Because Jesus commands it (Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.")

I love the words to this Casting Crowns song, "Here I Go Again"...

Father, hear my prayer
I need the perfect words
Words that he will hear
And know they're straight from you
I don't know what to say
I only know it hurts To see my only friend slowly fade away

So maybe this time I'll speak the words of life
With your fire in my eyes
But that old familiar fear is tearing at my words
What am I so afraid of? 'Cause here I go again

Talkin' 'bout the rain
And mulling over things that won't live past today
And as I dance around the truth
Time is not his friend
This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
But here I go again, here I go again

Lord, you love him so, you gave your only son
If he will just believe; he will never die
But how then will he know what he has never heard
Lord he has never seen mirrored in my life

This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
This might be my last chance to tell him that you love him
You love him, you love him
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid
What am I so afraid of?
How then will he know
What he has never heard

Name Change

Okay - so I decided to change the name of my blog. The old name was getting, well, old. I've decided on "The Journey". One definition of the word journey is: passage or progress from one stage to another. I think this would describe my life. This life of mine has been a journey. A passage or progress from one stage to another. I believe God has been taking me on a journey and I've been intrigued by each new stage He's taken me through. I wait in anticipation for the next stages. I trust where He's taking me.

Even more important than the destination is the journey...

Random Thoughts Thursday

Here's some things that are on my mind this lovely, um, I mean RAINY afternoon...

• I love the snow - but are you kidding me? It's actually sleeting right now and the weatherman's calling for 1-3 inches by tomorrow afternoon!
• I love my husband and I sure miss him when he's out of town!
• Tonight I'm taking my daughter on a mommy-daughter date night. Going to dinner and Staples! Hey - be quiet... it's only one of my favorite stores!
• I can't wait for Sunday! I can't can't wait for every Sunday! Volunteers... be ready for God-size stuff!
• d(is)Harmony begins this weekend at Crossroads. I'm looking forward to learning how to improve my marriage!
• Last week was ONE BUSY week! One morning we didn't even have a clean towel to take a shower with! My poor family! Trevor actually ended up using a beach towel one morning.
  
• I took some time to blow bubbles with my daughter this week. Do me a favor... if you have kids (I don't care how old they are), take some time out this spring to blow bubbles with them. There's something sweet and magical about bubble blowing. :)
• Did I mention that it's sleeting. Okay, now it's snowing.
• I heard a quote recently from the movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporrium. It now resides on the chalk board in my kitchen... "Life is an occasion, rise to it!"
• I'm loving this season of American Idol. My picks: Carly Smithson or David Archuleta.
• Oops... it's almost 6... let date night begin!
  

AWEsome Weekend!

Wow - - I am BLOWN away! This past week was powerful. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all that happened. Here are just some of the highlights:

• Passion and Prayer on Wednesday night was incredible. Watching the suffering of Jesus Christ makes me incredibly humbled, honored and thankful to call myself His daughter. Not a dry eye in the place. There's just something about seeing that movie collectively as a church body that touches my heart! Wednesday night I was reminded of just how intense Christ's love is for ME and how much he endured for MY sin. Praise Him!
• Friday night... can I just say WHAT HAPPENED TO SPRING? As I pulled into the parking lot of the Christian Family Centre at 4 p.m., I was SURE this Egg Hunt would NOT be happening. I was sure that volunteers wouldn't show and even more certain that no one in their right mind would bring children out to hunt eggs in SNOW! Um - let me just say how WRONG I was! I had to keep asking myself, "Who's in control, Wendy?" Thank God it wasn't me! The Egg Hunt happened and it was AMAZING! Truly one of the best Egg Hunts that I remember! I was totally BLOWN AWAY by the awesome volunteers who came out to show Christ's love to Egg Hunt attenders! I am SO honored to be serving Christ alongside of these amazing people! I will never forget the sea of snowsuits that surrounded Pastor Scott as he gave a heart warming message before guests arrived. It was truly one of the most unforgettable Crossroads moments! (I won't too soon forget our fearless Kid Crossing Director on cross country skis and the 2-year-old kids I witnessed trying to get a grip on their wet, snow-covered eggs!)
• Easter experiences at Crossroads were unbelievable. Between all 4 service times, we recorded 1,800 people who attended. Fifty-Four families identified themselves as new to Crossroads. Forty-six individuals indicated a decision to accept Christ's gift of salvation. I tell you people - it doesn't get any better than that! THAT is why I do what I do. THAT is why I get excited every Sunday! It's all about changed lives. For two of those families who told us they were new to Crossroads for the very first time came as a result of the Egg Hunt - the SNOWY Egg Hunt - on Friday night. Did deciding to have the Egg Hunt, when every other hunt in the county was cancelled, have an impact on those two families? Absolutely!
  

My prayer is that we will NEVER lose sight of the lives we are trying to reach. May we continue to stay laser-focused on the 65,000 lives that God STILL wants to change and never forget why we do what we do!

Thank you, Crossroads - for being THAT kind of church where PEOPLE matter.

Eggs, Eggs and MORE Eggs!

66,000 Eggs!

Lots of candy!

Lots of fun with friends!

Can anyone guess who this is??

11 Years Ago Today

Eleven years ago today I married my best friend. March 15, 1997. Here are the top ELEVEN reasons why I love my husband so much... (in no particular order)

• He is my best friend. He's the one with whom I can laugh with, cry with & be myself with.


• His love for me is unconditional. He loves me in good times and in bad times and most importantly... he loves me just the way I am. He's not interested in changing me.


• He's trustworthy. I trust him with my heart completely.


• He's a GREAT father. Chloe adores her daddy!


• He makes me laugh. Trevor has one of the best personalities of anyone I know AND the best sense of humor.


• He's thoughtful and kind. He's always thinking up creative ways to show his love for me.


• He's gentle and caring.


• He protects and defends me. I always know he will be on my side no matter what.


• He's a great listener.


• He's an awesome role model.


• He loves Jesus!

I love you, Trevor. Thank you for eleven wonderful years. I look forward to MANY more wonderful years with you!

Good Listener.... (what did you say?)

Are you a good listener?


I think about this a lot.


As a leader, my prayer is that I will always be a good listener. Good leaders are good listeners.


I have struggled with this from time to time. Sometimes, when I am in a conversation with someone, I am also thinking about what I'm going to say next. This isn't a quality of a good listener.


A mentor/teacher/boss/friend once gave me some great advice! He said, the art of listening is making sure that the person with whom your communicating with KNOWS that they have been heard. Here is what he will do. When he is in a deep conversation with you about something, he will often say, "So, Wendy, what I'm hearing you say is..." This tells me he is listening. It also tells me that he values what I have to say and is interested in making sure I know I am heard!

This was very eye-opening for me.

I now find myself saying that when I'm in a conversation with someone, especially someone with whom I'm in leadership over... "So, what I'm hearing you say is..." This makes people feel valued, heard and important.


I recently read a quote that says...


"If God had wanted us to talk more than listen, He would have given us two mouths rather than two ears." Ken Blanchard

How are your listening skills?

I'm Tired!

Why is it that the Monday following Daylight Savings Time beginning is SO hard? I mean - Sunday wasn't as hard as it is today! For some odd reason, I am more tired today. One hour shouldn't have made THAT big of a difference - but I'm telling ya - I'm exhausted!

One more sip of that caffeinated drink!

Oh look - only 20 more minutes and it's quittin' time.

Well... until my 6:30 p.m. orientation meeting.

Back here in a bit.

Probably with another caffeinated product!

I Love These Things!

These are my favorite candy in the entire world! They're only out at Easter time and I have been DYING for one!

So You Say It's Your Birthday... Well it's MY Birthday too!

I've been singing that song all day. Well - actually all weekend. See - around my house, when it's your birthday - you actually get a birthday week or weekend - so for me - that was this past weekend. It was a really nice weekend spent with family and friends. I am blessed beyond words!

Today marks my 12,320 days on planet earth! Wow - what a ride it's been! Here are some of the highlights from birthday's past...

• My parents once flew me and my boyfriend (at the time) to Chicago for a day trip. We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe and took a stroll through Bloomingdale's. I was 20.
• I remember that I got an Apple computer for my 17th birthday. My mom individually wrapped each part to that computer... the mouse, mouse pad, monitor, keyboard... it was awesome. I remember thinking how COOL I was to own my very own computer (and this was long before Internet).
• I had a birthday party at Burger King one year. I think I was in the third grade. It was fun, but the highlight was watching my friend, Denise, throw up her lunch!
• My wonderful husband bought me a beautiful diamond ring a few years ago. It was really too big for the finger I wanted it to fit on, so I forced it on another finger, thinking it would fit better. It didn't. It got stuck! I mean I couldn't get it off my finger for the life of me! I panicked and of course, that made it worse. We spent that night in the Emergency Room getting my new ring CUT off my finger! Now that's only something I would do!
• I was pregnant on my 27th birthday. I tried to be happy - but truth be told, I was miserable! I'd chosen my favorite restaurant, at the time - Chi Chi's and I couldn't eat a thing! I was so sick! Pregnancy sick and throwing up! I was glad everyone else got to celebrate with nachos and burritos... while I hurled in the women's restroom!
• I had a sleepover party when I was 13. I remember having a Madonna Look-Alike Contest and of course, I won! Oh - and I think that's the night my 4 best friends and I formed our own band, 'Timeout'. :) Oh those were the days!

I've had some wonderful birthdays, that's for sure!

THANK you to all my wonderful family and friends for another blessed birthday!

Blessed Are the Pancakes...?

So... there I am working with my daughter on her March Bible Memory verse for School and she's reading along on her own (and doing a marvelous job I might add) and then I heard something that didn't sound quite right. Here's what I heard (Matthew 5: 7-10)... "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the PANCAKES, for the will be called the sons of God."

I had to laugh! I think THIS is what she meant, "... Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they will be called the sons of God."

I kind of like pancakes, though. :)

I love that girl!

Sleepover!

I guess it's been a while since I've had a sleepover. Maybe I'm showing my age. Friday night, 9 little giggly girls, too much sugar, lots of movies, nail polish, hair spray and Nintendo Wii equals one tired mama on Monday morning! It WAS a good time, but I think it's safe to say that it will be a while until the next one. (It might take that long to catch up some my sleep!)

Invitations to the Sleepover: $20

Food for 9 little hungry tummies: $30

Sleep lost: 3 hours

Creating magical moments with my daughter that will last a lifetime: PRICELESS!

Do it Anyway!

God's been working on me this week.

You see - I don't have much patience. To those who are frequent readers of my blog, you know this already. I've spoken about my lack of patience many times. One of the things that I don't have much patience with is poor customer service. I just don't get it. Rude people. Lazy people. Passion-less people. People who don't smile and can't say thank you. These are the types of things that drive me nuts! Seriously! It can just send me off a cliff when I run into a rude person behind a service counter. It can honestly set the tone for my entire day.

But didn't I say earlier that God has been working on my this week?

Oh but He has!

This week as I was pondering yet another encounter of rude and un-loving behavior, I heard the voice of God say to me, "Do it anyway."

At first, I didn't understand what it meant.

I tried ignoring it, but it kept coming to me, "Do it anyway." (Let me just insert here that when God is trying to get your attention about something... it's really hard to ignore. My advice: don't try to ignore Him.)

So - when I got home that night, I wrote it on a sticky note and put it up on our refrigerator door - DO IT ANYWAY.

As I began drifting off to sleep that night, it dawned on me what God was trying to say to me. I believe it was this...

When people don't treat me the way I think I deserve to be treated - treat them lovingly anyway!
When people don't respond kindly to me - treat them with kindness anyway.
When people don't listen to me - listen respectfully to them anyway.
When people don't trust me - trust them anyway.

Do it anyway! Why? Because didn't Jesus die for THOSE people too?

Wow - what a lesson, God. Thank you. I needed that this week. You love us even during those times when we don't show you our love back. You're kind to us - even when we don't always show you kindness. You listen to us - when we don't always listen to you.

You teach us in your word in Matthew 25:40,

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

I'm so thankful today for the God who loves me and who shows me grace even when I don't deserve it.

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...