Saturday, August 30, 2008

Getting Ready for...


The Corn Hole Boards are almost done... they are waiting for the logos and web address to be made and attached. Really looking forward to this year's Pork Roast and Fun Fest that will be at CoJ on September 21 @ 12:30 p.m. It's gonna be lots of fun... especially with the addition of the corn hole competition.


Speaking of competitions... anytime you play cornhole, it is a competition!

A Movie Recommendation...

Every once in a while I see a movie that really is noteworthy! Last night Sharon and I watched one! It is called "The Bucket List" Great movie with lots of material to get you thinking about how you are living your life. HIGHLY recommend!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Giving out water at SU...







Today, 6 of us participated in the Salisbury University Survival of Arrival Event that seeks to welcome freshman students to Salisbury and to the University. We set up a booth and gave out free cold water bottles and flyers announcing our Pork Roast. It was a grand time and though it was cut short by rain, it was well worth the effort! Lots of connections made and exposure.
Fascinating that I saw a guy walking toward me with his wife and daughter... I recongnized him from Easton High School... he was the class ahead of me. I called his name and he looked at me and called mine!
Jenilee has a great line today... "we are just down the street." That got folk to ask where! Then she gave them a map.
I had a great line too! It got lots of sttention coming from a church... with a cold water bottle extended toward someone who was walking away, I said, "Want a cold one?" And IMMEDIATELY they looked to see what I was offering and often took one!

Taken back in time....

It's interesting how certain sights, smells, tastes, and sounds can transport us from the present to a distant time and place. This morning, I was transported back to my teen years when I spent two weeks of every summer living/ visiting with my grandparents on my mother's side in Hagerstown, MD on their dairy farm. EVERY morning for breakfast one of the things that my Grandfather Grove ate was puffed wheat. My grandmother kept it in large 2 quart jars on the kitchen counter. I loved puffed wheat then. This morning, I was eating the remnants of cereal from our camping trip (we always use the individual boxes there) and there were two boxes of Sugar Smacks left... when I poured them into the bowl, I was transported back to my grandparents kitchen long ago!

Thoughts about rain...and prayer.

We REALLY need rain! It is VERY dry outside... no question about it! BUT, we are distributing water bottles as a welcome to Salisbury University Freshmen today and we will have more fun doing it if it doesn't rain.

Imagine the quandary we put God in when we pray for rain at specific times and in specific places and not in others. I am sure there are farmers who are praying for rain for their very thirsty crops and I am sure there are college students and their parents who are praying for it not to rain so that they can move in today in the dry!

A long time ago, I decided that I wouldn't bother God with requests about the weather, that I would simply live my life by adapting to whatever the weather is at the time.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

A way to live....

Loving someone when they least expect it and don't deserve it will definitely make an impact on their life.

It's the way Jesus lived and it's the way he calls us to live!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Hard to beleive... it is the first day of school!


It is hard to beleive that it is the first day of school already!


We have a ritual of taking pictures on the first day every year. Caroline remarked this morning about how she hates this ritual and is glad she only has one more year to do it! Can't believe that she is in 11th grade! Where has the time gone???


Next year, she and Emma will be in the same school for the first time in their ENTIRE school career!

Back from a great time away....






It was a GREAT week to camp in PA... It was our 12th year there. The weather was SUPERB... cool days and cooler nights... one night it was 45 degrees... LOTS of blankets. It rained the last night, which kind of spoiled an otherwise great week.
It was very restful for all! Definitely something we all look forward to and need! I find that the time away from everything... cell phone, phone, news, computer, daily grind, etc is very helpful for me. No wonder God rested on the 7th day and asks us to Keep the Sabbath! Rest is a necessary part of life.
We enjoyed connecting with old freinds and seeing folks at our first church. We also enjoyed seeing some beautiful sights in the Amish country that surrounds the campground. Didn't enjoy having bold skunks around each evening... the last evening, one managed to get in our bread bin and pulled out 3 loaves of bread and destroyed them... I got out of the tent and yelled at him several times, but he refused to leave... needless to say the girls didn't want me insisting that he leave!
The number of kids in our families numbers 7, BUT when friends come along... the number is almost always double. Most years the kids bring the same friends along... so it seems like they are all family! Definitely a blast for all of us!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Peace Out....




I am signing out of the blogsphere for a while... going camping in PA... something we have done with two other families for the last 12 years. Every year we go to the same campground and spend a week just chillin. It's in the heart of untainted Amish Country and we sure enjoy the beautiful farms and horse drawn buggies.
Can't wait to get there... the van and trailer are almost loaded and we will be pulling out shortly! Then it's only 5 hours. We will have our tents up by supper and ready to enjoy a quiet night sleeping in the cool mountain air. A stream runs below our camp site and there is a lake for swimming (though it is cold water!) What FUN!
It definitely renews my spirit... and charges my battery... something that I so need!

Monday, August 18, 2008

Triple WOW!!!!


What an incredible response we had to our school supply drive support our neighborhood elementary school -- Pinehurst. They will really appreciate the supplies.
What a great group of people CoJ is and the community chimed in too!
Here is the low down...
50 packs of crayons
25 packs of colored pencils
51 packs of pencils
33 composition books
131 spiral bound notebooks
64 packs of loose leaf paper
32 packs of scissors
37 packs of erasers
8 rulers
2 packs of pens
36 packs of glue sticks
4 bottles of elmers glue
23 pencil boxes
4 1 inch plastic binders
4 protractors
10 book covers
3 pencil sharpeners
and 82 two pocket folders that Pinehurst can't use but we are sending to another local school that can.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others... I know this will bless many students!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

A GREAT Attitude....

Last night, while waiting for Michael Phelps to swim, we watched 43 year old Dara Torres win her first silver medal. What a race!

One of the reporters asked her what she will tell her two year old daughter about this event (assuming that the daughter won't remember witnessing it) and Dara said...."You don't have to put an age limit to your dreams!"

Now that's the truth! You are never too young or two old to dream dreams and reach toward acheiving them.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

It is the MOST FUN....



Tested out my theory tonight at the Potvin Picnic.... Corn Hole is a BLAST! And it is a MAGNET! It was the RAGE! Looking forward to having two sets to use for our Pork Roast on Sept. 21 and for the youth to use anytime AND to take a few guys and the games to go to a grassy area at SU and just start playing... it will definitely draw some folks in... Can't wait to get the CoJ logo that is on our sign on the boards... after they are painted in CoJ colors!

Kudos to Jim Replogle... who did a GREAT job making the boards.... they are AWESOME... THANKS Jim!
According to the American Corn Hole Association, we were playing somewhat wrong. The only bags that count are the ones that land on the boards WITHOUT hoping off the ground. IF it hops off the ground first and then lays on the board... the bag should be removed from play BEFORE the next bag is thrown. The other thing some of us were doing wrong tonight is that there is a pitchers box on either side of the platform and the pitches MUST be thrown from that area... NOT behind the boards. We'll get it right soon! Don't want to be violating the American Corn Hole Association Rules!

Friday, August 15, 2008

SO EXCITED!!!!

I am getting so EXCITED about our second Pork Fest where we invite our neighbors to join us for a time of FUN, FOOD, and FELLOWSHIP. This year it will be Sept. 21 @ our ministry center.

What has me so excited is the ways we are trying to make this year different from last year... none of this (we've always done it this way, stuff here!!!) This year we are hoping to have a classic car or custom car cruise in (still working out details on this one). AND we WILL be having a Corn Hole game.... our very own! Never heard of Corn Hole... you don't know what you are missing... here is a link to the game... Another link... to explain the game for those of you who are out of the loop!

Can't wait!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Chasing the Wild Goose....

Couldn't resist reading a little of Mark Batterson's not yet out book... Wild Goose Chase. So, I am reading a chapter a day or at least that is the plan as it stands right now...

From chapter one... here is the quote that caught my attention. "You cannot simultaneously live by faith and be bored. Faith and boredom are antithetical."

I have long said that most of what we, in the church do, is stuff that we can do ourselves without the help of God...and that makes us bored! It only gets exciting when we attempt to do something that we can not do, were it not for God's intervention and then the boredom goes away....

That's kinda what happened to us a year ago at Community of Joy, when we bought our ministry center... it was definitely something that we could not do without God's intervention and the journey has been nothing close to boring!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

It's Goose Season....

Not yet... but it soon will be!

I was offered the opportunity to receive two free copies of Mark Batterson's new (not yet out, but on Aug. 19) book, Wild Goose Chase and blog a review of the book before August 19. The books just came today... I've been anxiously awaiting them and will move it to the top of my "MUST READ" list... actually I will take one on vacation next week. With today being the 13th and getting ready for vacation and the 19th just 6 days away, I am choosing to post a few helpful "one liners" from the book and will blog more about it at a later date.

Here is a summary and bio on Mark as well....

Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect. “Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” --from the introduction.

Author Bio:
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of Washington, DC’s National Community Church, widely recognized as one of America’s most innovative churches. NCC meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the city, as well as in a church-owned coffee house near Union Station. More than seventy percent of NCCers are single twentysomethings who live or work on Capitol Hill. Mark is the author of the best-selling In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and a widely read blogger (www.markbatterson.com). He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and their three children.

One-liners...

"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death."

"Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention."

"Stop repeating the past and start creating the future."

"Stop playing not to loose and start playing to win"

" Quit putting eight foot ceilings on what God can do."

I am sure I will blog more later... as Mark is some one that I really appreciate as an author, pastor, and blogger. I read his blog daily, have read his first book twice (In a pit with a lion on a snowy day-- HIGHLY recommend it by the way!), and have attended his church twice at their Coffee Shop location in D.C.!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

A Recommendation....

Last night, I tried something that I have been wanting to try for a long while. I have heard nothing but raves for the product and wanted to try them myself. The problem was that every time I went to the one store that locally sells them, I couldn't find them. So, with some help from the producer, who happens to be a guy I graduated from High School with, I picked up three packs yesterday at Save A Lot Food Store on Cypress St... the ONLY place that carries them in Salisbury.

And WOW... they were GREAT! I even enticed Sharon and Caroline to try a bite (their noses were turned up at first!) but not after they ate the bite... both said they were GOOD! So, now I will be taking several packs with us camping in PA in a few weeks when we go. Always like to share something special from the shore with our PA friends... and this year it will be....

Chesapeake Bay Crab Brats.... Totally AWESOME!

Look for them in the frozen section that is open on the top.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Way of Life or Part of life....

Here's something I've been thinking about lately... Is Jesus a way of life or a part of life for you?

For me, I want him to be a way of life... that would make him part of ALL of my life. As a part of life, that would make him just that... a part of life. There would be other parts that didn't include him. And I want him to be part of ALL of my life... so, for me he is my way of life.

What about you?

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Surely....

God smiles when his children work together! Not only that, but I was sure smiling last week when we joined Bethany Lutheran Church and Beacon of Light Church to pull off a VBS that none of us could have pulled off alone! And the cool thing is that this will be one of many cooperative ventures. Pastor Sharon, was approached by some leaders of Bethany about what might be our next joint venture. My smile just gets bigger!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Having a great time in Indy....

Just heard from Frank... he called to tell me that they arrived. I told him he was 2 days late in that news... I had already heard. Of course he knew that I had heard. He was calling to say that they are having a good time! Sounds like they are pulling weeds and preparing an urban garden for residents near the church... sounds like a great thing! Tonight they will hear about our church's work in Sudan from two folks who have spent years of their lives there working and are now the pastors at the church in Indy. Anxious to hear more!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

What a great opportunity....



Sharon told me that she was talking to some folks at Bethany Lutheran last night and for the last two years they didn't have much of a VBS and last year it was cancelled due to lack of help and participation. NOT so this year! What a blessing it has been to have three churches working together to plant seeds in nearly 70 kids lives. There is lots of energy and excitement! What a great change from last year. This way of working together has allowed us to be part of something a whole lot bigger than it would have been if we tried to pull a VBS of by ourselves.


And what a great job the folks from CoJ are doing with our piece. Thanks to each of you! Special thanks to Tracey Townsend for guiding this effort!


Surely God smiles when churches work together! We are NOT competition!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

And they are there!

Got a call from Emma around 10:30, as I was heading out to the Walker Funeral.... they arrived safely in Indianapolis!

Now, I hope they have a GREAT week there! These workcamps can be so transformative! May it be so for each of the participants!

And they are off....


Woke Emma up today at 3:15 a.m. to meet the rest of the jr. highers that are going to Indy at the ministry center at 4:15. After loading their things in the Green Hill CoB van, we had a prayer and they hit the road. They wanted to leave by 4:30... my cell phone said it was 4:28! That's spectacular considering there were 6 youth who have rarely seen that time of the day before!


They will go to Indianapolis for a work camp there... the leader is the same one that led our very first jr. high work camp when Caroline and that group went... and the assistant leader in this one was a youth leader at the first one we went too also. That was Chicago, then and Indy now!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Energy @ VBS....









Lots of energy at our VBS! Three churches are working together in making this year's VBS a HUGE success! 67 children were in attendance last night. Here are some pics....