Ok, I know that everyone over the age of 35 just hummed along when they read that title. LOL!
Yes, we are headed back to the HOUSE OF MOUSE!
The bags are packed.
The house is clean (relatively).
and the last load of laundry is about to go in.
MANY Thanks to our friends for house-sitting & pet-sitting for us while we are gone! You guys are the best!
I will try to post some pics & blog reports while we are there, but in the meantime, you can enjoy THESE from our last visit...
Now where did I put my mouse ears???
26 February 2009
24 February 2009
Preaching To the Choir
I say that because I'm speaking to myself as much as to anyone else...
Whether or not you believe in Karma or "The Golden Rule" is irrelevant.
We are instructed, as Christians -- indeed, as civilized human beings -- to treat others how we want to be treated.
I, as much as anyone, still fail at this, miserably.
All too often, my own pride and SELF get in the way of the "bigger picture" Christ wants me to see. I am easily bruised, taking offense when I feel I have been wronged unfairly.
My feelings get hurt and I start to obsess about what I coulda, woulda, shoulda done differently. Or worse, I lash out at the people who I feel have so unjustly caused me aggravation.
HOW DARE THEY?!
I'm also a bit of a perfectionist. I take pride in being responsible and following instructions I am given, so when I feel like I have let someone down -- or that I have somehow overstepped my bounds -- I get pretty upset and boldly defensive.
Goodness knows, the reprimands have been well-deserved at times and I have been humbled by the grace shown to me over and again.
But at other times, I catch myself being less than forgiving when I feel other people have slighted ME.
Really, who do I think I am??
Acts 10: 34 (KJV) states that God is NO respecter of persons.
That means, it doesn't matter what you do for a living, how much money you make, what your position in the church may be, or how much you do for charity.
--->> YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
We are all valuable in God's sight and we should treat each other as such.
I think one thing that has done more to harm the image of the Christian Church -- more than anything else -- is the way we so-called "Christians" treat others whom we consider "beneath" us.
If Jesus showed us one thing, plainly, in His short time here on earth, it's that we must humble ourselves to be great. He was the Son of God and yet, He washed the feet of His disciples and treated everyone -- no matter how small or (by society's definition) insignificant -- as precious sheep to bring in to His fold.
There was no attitude of thinking, "I'm better than you," or "You aren't worth my time."
If Jesus is meant to be the example we are to live by, then why do so many Christians do the opposite?
We get full of ourselves and our "positions of importance" and we don't even deign to speak to others in the Church who are not in our "circle of influence."
We might treat the poor and homeless better and as more valuable than we do that church nursery worker or this parking volunteer. We may think because we've been entrusted with great responsibility within our area of ministry that we no longer have to be Jesus to those within our own ministry.
I think this goes on way too much and it needs to STOP.
Again, I am speaking to myself as much as anyone.
Lord knows I need His grace and constant reminders to get over myself and treat others the way Christ would treat them.
If my actions don't loudly proclaim that I am a child of God -- an heir to His kingdom -- then
NOTHING I "say" with my mouth will ever be heard.
As my friend, Carole, often says: "Grace to ME."
Whether or not you believe in Karma or "The Golden Rule" is irrelevant.
We are instructed, as Christians -- indeed, as civilized human beings -- to treat others how we want to be treated.
I, as much as anyone, still fail at this, miserably.
All too often, my own pride and SELF get in the way of the "bigger picture" Christ wants me to see. I am easily bruised, taking offense when I feel I have been wronged unfairly.
My feelings get hurt and I start to obsess about what I coulda, woulda, shoulda done differently. Or worse, I lash out at the people who I feel have so unjustly caused me aggravation.
HOW DARE THEY?!
I'm also a bit of a perfectionist. I take pride in being responsible and following instructions I am given, so when I feel like I have let someone down -- or that I have somehow overstepped my bounds -- I get pretty upset and boldly defensive.
Goodness knows, the reprimands have been well-deserved at times and I have been humbled by the grace shown to me over and again.
But at other times, I catch myself being less than forgiving when I feel other people have slighted ME.
Really, who do I think I am??
Acts 10: 34 (KJV) states that God is NO respecter of persons.
That means, it doesn't matter what you do for a living, how much money you make, what your position in the church may be, or how much you do for charity.
--->> YOU ARE NO BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
We are all valuable in God's sight and we should treat each other as such.
I think one thing that has done more to harm the image of the Christian Church -- more than anything else -- is the way we so-called "Christians" treat others whom we consider "beneath" us.
If Jesus showed us one thing, plainly, in His short time here on earth, it's that we must humble ourselves to be great. He was the Son of God and yet, He washed the feet of His disciples and treated everyone -- no matter how small or (by society's definition) insignificant -- as precious sheep to bring in to His fold.
There was no attitude of thinking, "I'm better than you," or "You aren't worth my time."
If Jesus is meant to be the example we are to live by, then why do so many Christians do the opposite?
We get full of ourselves and our "positions of importance" and we don't even deign to speak to others in the Church who are not in our "circle of influence."
We might treat the poor and homeless better and as more valuable than we do that church nursery worker or this parking volunteer. We may think because we've been entrusted with great responsibility within our area of ministry that we no longer have to be Jesus to those within our own ministry.
I think this goes on way too much and it needs to STOP.
Again, I am speaking to myself as much as anyone.
Lord knows I need His grace and constant reminders to get over myself and treat others the way Christ would treat them.
If my actions don't loudly proclaim that I am a child of God -- an heir to His kingdom -- then
NOTHING I "say" with my mouth will ever be heard.
As my friend, Carole, often says: "Grace to ME."
22 February 2009
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE!!!
It WON!!
For the first time in a long time, the Academy has chosen a GREAT movie for Best Picture!
Trust me, if you have not seen this film yet, you simply must.
It's an amazing movie -- very funny, touching, upsetting, and redeeming. You will not be disappointed!
The soundtrack is also spectacular! Even my kids love it!
And the Song from the movie that won (but really, ALL of them are fabulous!): JAI HO!
For the first time in a long time, the Academy has chosen a GREAT movie for Best Picture!
Trust me, if you have not seen this film yet, you simply must.
It's an amazing movie -- very funny, touching, upsetting, and redeeming. You will not be disappointed!
The soundtrack is also spectacular! Even my kids love it!
And the Song from the movie that won (but really, ALL of them are fabulous!): JAI HO!
15 February 2009
Giving Your Heart
It has taken me most of the weekend to recover from Friday ;^) but it's a good kind of exhaustion.As you know, Friday we had our Valentine's Midnight Outreach and we started bright and early, Friday morning.
I was at Sam's Club when the doors opened at 7 am to buy the 150+ roses for the outreach. Then, I met with a young mothers' play group at 9:30 to de-thorn and tag each one of the roses. We snipped thorns, tied on HPC cards, and curled ribbons for more than an hour.
I went home for a brief respite before I had to meet the rest of the team at a club we've never gone into before. This is probably the "biggest" club in the Baton Rouge area -- not in terms of square footage, but in terms of working girls and (sadly) patronage.
We have been trying to get in for several years, but all we have ever done before was leave the roses and chocolates at the door with the bouncers.
Well, on Friday afternoon, they actually let us come in to decorate the girls' dressing room! It was a pretty large room so we left balloons and roses and flower petals, chocolates and candy hearts and chocolate-dipped strawberries. And we wrote on the mirrors:
"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM HEALING PLACE CHURCH"
We also gave them a bunch of gifts -- earrings from the Mom's lifegroup & cute water bottles and makeup cases that were left over from our Live The Dream Women's Conference.We met a couple of hours later to go decorate the dressing rooms of our other two "regular" clubs, then met again at 8 pm to go to the clubs and hand out roses to the ladies.
It's always so amazing to me how warmly they receive us -- the incredible favor that is granted us. And it seems that we always manage to touch someone's heart.
One young girl who was getting ready to work, asked us, "Who are you all? Why are you doing this?"
When we told her that we were the church and we just wanted her to know that she was loved and valued, she was visibly shocked. It was her 4th day on the job. Who knows the long-term impact of that encounter?
To me, this is what Valentine's Day should really be about: Giving your heart -- a heart for Christ -- to those who have never known His love. It's about showing them they are VALUABLE and worthy to be loved. It's not about preaching or shaming or acting "holier than thou..."
It's about being the hands and feet of Jesus.
It's just one small part of the Servolution.
Some of the gorgeous ladies who worked so hard to get the roses ready Friday morning!
Alliece and I at S.K.
Decorating at G.C.
Live the Dream!
Setting up at K's
Alliece checking the decor at K's
Look what was still hanging on the mirror at S.K.'s!!!!
Pastors Dino & DeLynn's Christmas card!
Just a small part of the MIDNIGHT "Dream Team:"
Me, Alliece, Jillian, & Donna (Charity is taking the photo)
Some of the gorgeous ladies who worked so hard to get the roses ready Friday morning!
Alliece and I at S.K.
Decorating at G.C.
Live the Dream!
Setting up at K's
Alliece checking the decor at K's
Look what was still hanging on the mirror at S.K.'s!!!!Pastors Dino & DeLynn's Christmas card!
Just a small part of the MIDNIGHT "Dream Team:"Me, Alliece, Jillian, & Donna (Charity is taking the photo)
12 February 2009
Sweet MIDNIGHT
TOMORROW is going to be amazing!
We have our Valentine's Midnight Outreach tomorrow night (What is Midnight Outreach? Click HERE).
As usual, we will go and give roses to the ladies who are working the clubs & walking the streets -- just letting them know that they are loved and they are valued, right now, just the way they are. But since it is Valentine's weekend, we will also be decorating the dressing rooms, much like we did for the Christmas outreach.
But, even more exciting:
Tomorrow afternoon, we are being admitted to decorate the dressing rooms of a strip club we have never been allowed to enter before! How cool is that?? We won't be able to go in and give the roses during business hours like we do with the other clubs (not yet, anyway), but the club owners have finally relented and are allowing us to come before they open to surprise the girls with decorations and gifts and candy.
I have to be up at the crack of dawn to go and buy 200 roses and a couple hundred carnations on THE DAY BEFORE VALENTINE'S DAY!
Please let me be the first one there!
I am sooo loving the movements my church has started... the culmination of which will be
SERVOLUTION WEEK
in April. We already have more than 70 churches signed up to participate! Talk about making a huge difference. This experience is going to be like no other.If you or your church are interested in being a part, just go HERE to watch the video, learn more, & sign up.
You do NOT want to miss this!
We are "Reaching the World by Serving One."
I love HPC!
The Prodigal Blogger Returneth (Again)
Wow; the past 2 weeks are a blur!
I know many of you have wondered where I am -- why I'm not blogging or Twittering much.
In the past 10 days, I have sold & shipped approximately 42 items on eBay. My Spring selling is DONE!
Of course, I found out the juicy little tidbit below (see previous post) AFTER I had spent HOURS taking photos and DAYS uploading listings... the work was already done.
Actually, I'm glad because now I can focus on other things and not do my usual procrastinate-panic-sell routine.
I'm ready for things to get back to "normal," whatever that is.
I plan on posting more tonight, so check back later for a very interesting update re: MIDNIGHT OUTREACH.
I know many of you have wondered where I am -- why I'm not blogging or Twittering much.
In the past 10 days, I have sold & shipped approximately 42 items on eBay. My Spring selling is DONE!
Of course, I found out the juicy little tidbit below (see previous post) AFTER I had spent HOURS taking photos and DAYS uploading listings... the work was already done.
Actually, I'm glad because now I can focus on other things and not do my usual procrastinate-panic-sell routine.
I'm ready for things to get back to "normal," whatever that is.
I plan on posting more tonight, so check back later for a very interesting update re: MIDNIGHT OUTREACH.
07 February 2009
02 February 2009
My eBay Listings!
This is what I have been working on all weekend. If you see something you like, please bid! I NEED to get rid of my inventory before the ridiculously STUPID short-sighted CPSIA goes into effect.
Therefore, I will be listing like a mad woman for the next couple of days. I need ALL of my auctions to be complete by Monday, February 9th as the new law goes into effect on February 10th.
I have WAY too many items to list, so I am trying to list the very best stuff first. Check it out:
Therefore, I will be listing like a mad woman for the next couple of days. I need ALL of my auctions to be complete by Monday, February 9th as the new law goes into effect on February 10th.
I have WAY too many items to list, so I am trying to list the very best stuff first. Check it out:
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