Prayer to Baby Jesus

Have you ever seen the movie Talladega Nights? If not and you enjoy stupid, add no value, but yet strangely entertaining movies, you might want to check it out. WARNING: Language is a major player in this one.

Anyways Will Farrell plays Ricky Bobby and at a dinner scene he prays: "dear 8lb, 6 oz newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet, just a little infant, so cuddly, but still omnipotent." If you're interested in checking it out, click here
WARNING: I said there is foul language. Please don't send me comments on how you can't believe I watch this stuff.

Well...the reason for this blog is to challenge you: Have you ever REALLY thought of Jesus as a baby?

I have been thinking a lot about it this Christmas Season. If someone put a 8lb, 6oz baby in front of you, would you have believed? Would you have believed he was a Mighty God, Author of Life, the Alpha & the Omega, the Creator of All Things....our Savior?

I would like to quickly say I would, but I don't know that. If you look at a little newborn and hear their cries, it becomes more real. A life that is totally dependent on you for their needs to be met would one day meet every single one of ALL our needs. My prayer this Christmas Season is that you would remember Baby Jesus when you see a little one and say a word of thanks for the greatest gift ever...God in the Flesh!

You Might Be a Redneck...Part 5

Alright...so I have been slack in actually posting any blogs recently and in order to get fired up again, I have decided to ease back into it with something fun...You Might be a Redneck. I found this picture on the web and thought it was hilarious. Not just because he misspelled it, but it would be EXACTLY something I would do. Actually...I think if you tried hard enough, you could find words on this blog misspelled. I might have even misspelled, misspelled. I am a horrible speller...even in other languages. Ask the Jolly German...I butcher the German language when I try and write it. Anyhow...I am going to get back into the swing of this thing. I want to start sharing the stories of the kids from the Dream Center!

Praying and Believing

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

I know. It seems so simple right. Christians say it all the time. You've heard the conversation. It goes something like this:

You: I just don't know what to do.

Friend: I can imagine. It just doesn't seem _________*. (*insert: fair, right, understandable, logical, honest)

You: I've tried everything humanly possible I can do in this situation. I guess the only thing there is left to do is pray.

Friend: Yeah! I will add that to my prayer list.

Maybe it is a little different and I guess there are times that you sit on the side of the 'friend', but I know I have caught myself in this conversation many times. The way I see it, there are two problems with it:

1. I leave prayer as a final option, when it should be the first option; and
2. When I do pray, I don't always believe

God challenged me on this yesterday and showed me the peace that passes all understanding. There are a group of 5-6 young guys (14-16 yrs) that hang at the Dream Center. Over the past 3-4 weeks we have seen them start to open their hearts more and more to the gospel. I started to faithfully pray for this group of guys and yesterday something incredible happened!

After going to to Groundswell with the guys the past 2 weeks and hearting about how a team from Seacoast was praying every morning at the flag pole at Wando High School, one of our guys told me he is serious about doing the same thing at North Charleston High School. Then one of the others that goes to a different high school, wanted to start there to: Garrett High School. I never believed that this would happen, although I prayed for it. God taught me through this not only to pray as the first option, but to BELIEVE!

For those that might be interested on how powerful this is, let me share some of the stats on North Charleston High School & Garrett:

North Charleston High School
Enrollment: apx. 1,000 students
School Ranking: 170/199*
Graduation Rate: 35.3%
% of students with Subsidized Lunch: 72%

Garrett Academy of Technology
Enrollment: apx. 700 students
School Ranking: 161/199*
Graduation Rate: 94.9%
% of students with Subsidized Lunch: 71%


*Note: Based on SC schools only and SC is ranked one of the lowest states overall in the nation for education.

Date Night

The Jolly German and I went out for date night last night. I thought I might run down the beginning so those of you that are married will know that we are just as 'normal' as one might expect from a fiery red head and stubborn German.

A group of friends from our small group (a.k.a. bible study group) and church were going to meet up at a local restaurant and then head over to the movies together. It was like a double date multiplied by at least 3. An e-mail with the invite went out earlier in the week with the details and it suggested to buy the tickets online ahead of time. We have burned on the online ticket buying before with credit card theft and so understandably, the Jolly German did not buy the ticks ahead of time.

The movie theater we went to is about a 40 minute drive from our house and so we left early, thinking we would get tickets before dinner and all would be fine. Well...it wasn't and of course, I was upset at Oliver for not getting them ahead of time even with a good reason for refraining from buying online.

Long story short, after pouting for 10 minutes, getting out of the car, eating dinner with friends and coming to the conclusion we would just go to another movie, two of our friends blessed us with their tickets. (Thanks Jack & Patsy!)

We went to see the movie Fireproof. There are plenty of reviews online that give both sides of whether it is good or bad if you want the full details and I am sure there is a little truth in both sides. It is a low-budget film, with unfamiliar actors (besides maybe Kirk Cameron) and I question some of the portrayals of 'stereotypes' throughout the film. However, the bottom line is that the message it gives is priceless...NEVER LEAVE YOUR PARTNER, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIRE!

Oliver and I have been married 10 wonderful years, some of the less wonderful than others, but I love him more today than the day I married him and would NEVER leave him behind!

My prayer today is that if you are in the middle of a fire in your marriage, that you'll take time TOGETHER to see this movie. Listen to the message! Let God minister to your heart through this. And if you have been left, look to God to restore you. There are times that restoration is not an option and I fully understand that, but don't walk around with bitterness and unforgiveness! Hand that over to God and lay it at the foot of the cross. Amen.

Politics and Religion

My Dad gives good advice. Two things he says never to talk about: politics and religion. Although I hope I walk in Christianity and not religion, I do talk about Jesus A LOT. There's strike one and I am going to take another strike with politics on this post.

I am not going to tell someone which way to vote and would NEVER take such a stance, but I am going to ask you to consider the impact your words that you chose impact others. I'll quote an e-mail from my sister-in-law that I think expresses it best and shows how 'Christians' can negatively impact others with religion:

i work w/ mostly diehard christian republicans and ALL of the political conversations that go on in the pharmacy are one-sided...people that fail to see the other side of things or fail to see where someone else is coming from seriously annoys me...they believe those spam emails about obama being the anti-christ and it reveals this fact in the bible!!! i got curious and looked it up and it's not true...and the only non-republican pharmacist is from iran and was raised muslim--her parents are muslim...and none of these "christians" consider how it might maker her feel when they make nasty comments about obama's upbringing...and i'll tell you....it REALLY hurts her feelings!!! i've never been passionate about politics, or voting for that matter...i'm not for or against either candidate...and when i read that church newsletter, it explained exactly how i feel...it really doesn't matter who wins...change will come w/ either party, you can't please everybody...but no one can take away what's in your heart!!! She found a poem that I find comfort in and will share. No matter who wins the election...

the Bible will still have all the answers. prayer will still work. the Holy Spirit will still move. God will still inhabit the praises of his people. there will still be God-anointed teaching & healing. there will still be singing of praise to God. God will still pour out blessings upon his people. there will still be room at the cross. Jesus will still love you. Jeses will still save the lost.

Took a Month Off

Ok...took a month off of 'blogging' and now I am getting back into the saddle. I want to personally thank Roger for setting a new record of over 15 posts just asking when I would start it back up again. Kind of makes me feel like you actually care and enjoy what I write!

Hoffspace...are you Kidding Me?

After posting a rather serious post earlier, I ran across this website about one of Germany's favorite singers.

I clicked on it today and it gives me a message that it is currently undergoing maintenance. I wonder if that has been 'undergoing maintenance' since the mid 80's?

Immigration Policy...or lack thereof

I am not going to ramble on and on about this and I really don't want to start up a debate, I just want to inform those that may not have personal relationships with immigrants the two-sided, red tape, unclear message we send to immigrants. I encourage you to think about it and put a face to the issue before making the staunch statement that illegals should be deported immediately.

I will also put the disclaimer on that my husband is 100% German and I personally went through the immigration process, filled out paperwork and continue to meet the requirements of the INS for his residency in the U.S. Keep the comments that I do not know what I am talking about to yourself.

Here are just a few examples of the craziness that occurs:

• Illegal immigrants are processed through the public school systems in the U.S. and receive high school diplomas. I personally graduated with a boy back in 1991, so it isn't something recent.
• Illegal immigrants are unable to get a valid driver's license, yet they can purchase both automobiles and car insurance in the U.S.
• Illegal immigrants are provided government assistance through the naturalization process of children born in the U.S. (i.e. medicaid, food stamps, reduced or free lunches)

I would ask that you lift this situation up in your prayers this next week and that you specifically pray that the leaders of our local, state and national government will find a way to handle this situation. Ask God to provide them the knowledge to handle this in a manner that will glorify Him.

Your Full Potential

This past Thursday I was cleaning up the room we use for our Elementary Students at church with a few of our kids that were volunteering with their parents at the Dream Center. I have found with kids that it is easy to get them to serve when you change things up as to what they are helping with and there is a clear start/end to the project.

So...we were straightening up our craft center and sharpening colored pencils. One of the moms walked in and I asked her,

"Am I neurotic wanting to sharpen the pencils for Sunday mornings?"

In addition to admitting to a tiny bit of OCD, she said that without sharpening the pencil, kids would never know the full potential of the pencil. I have thought about this a couple days and I think it is just like that with each one of us. We are the pencil that is dull, not reaching our full potential until we sharpen one another.

As iron sharpen irons, so one man sharpens another. -Proverbs 27:17

A Funk

Do you ever find yourself in a funk? A self-imposed and single attended pity party? Start to ask whether what you do makes a difference?

I've had a couple days like this and I am not saying this for you to jump on board and throw on the encouragement. I am writing this just to be real with those that have stumbled across my blog or in some odd way find amusement in the day-to-day activity of what I consider to be a pretty 'normal' life. I think a lot of it stems from the fact that I went from full steam ahead with Open House and 50-60 kids/week at the Dream Center to a pause in between closing that down and starting back at the schools volunteering. Oddly enough...I miss the kids from the neighborhood and gain fulfillment in giving time to spend with them.

How do I handle funks? I use humor. It is my answer to everything!

Bad day....laugh
Good day...laugh
Bills to pay...laugh
Hit the lottery...laugh
Fall off a ladder...laugh harder!

I know my friends that are teachers will berate me for saying this, but I am ready for school to start so I can see some of our kids again!

You Might be a Redneck...Part 4

This takes horseshoes to a whole new level in the redneck world. I am hoping they weren't used toilet seats. Then again...it would be a lot of fun to play. I might find a way to bring this to Children's Ministry in North Charleston.

Does Anyone Else Find this Funny?

I am not going to really comment on this, but only ask if anyone else finds humor in this picture?

Humbled to be a Part of God's Plan

We had the annual book bag give-a-way today at the Dream Center. It is the second year that I have been a part of it and I am humbled by the opportunity to be a part of God's plan.

It started with the stuffing of the book bags on Thursday Evening. A team of 20-25 students and parents came together from North Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and West Ashley as Nerve2Serve packed 350 book bags with a great start for any school year: pencils, notebook, ruler, tape, glue and folders.

This morning, the Adopt-a-Block leaders and their teams assembled at the Dream Center and hit the streets to invite families to come hear a short message on salvation and then receive a book bag to start off the new school year. I had the opportunity to serve with a team of friends anointed by the Lord to deliver the best story of all, the story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. There were more than 20 kids and parents that either committed their lives to the Lord this morning or laid it back down at the foot of the cross. It was amazing to see God work through each of the people that served at the Dream Center today!

I hope to post some pics of the event in the next day or two!

Word on the Streets

At Open House today at the Dream Center, I had a little lesson in street talk from some of the girls. In case you're interested and over the age of 25, here's the new lingo:

• that's wack - that is really messed up

• that's raw - that is really cool, awesome, off the hook, dope, fly. If you are using any of the ones describing the definition, you are considered a nerd.

• you sicknin' - you are really getting on my nerves

• mr. & mrs. bob - a.k.a. the police.

It was pretty funny to compare what we used to use to today's lingo and I choose to find comfort that I am passed the age of caring to catch up with the times. To all you RAW peeps out there, I'm outie-5-0!

Back2Blogging

It has obviously been a while since posting a blog and it seems like years ago when I was at the family reunion in Ohio thanking God that I am normal when compared to the rest of the Heaths. (See You Might Be a Redneck Post)

Things have been crazy at the Dream Center this summer! We're on our last week of Open House and have had 64 different kids between the ages of 2 and 17 come up to the church. Today was a real encouragement. All summer we have been talking about salvation and doing lessons that are strong in telling the story of Jesus. Many times it was difficult to get the kids to listen and I often wondered whether the Word was falling on deaf ears. Well...after struggling with quiet time over the past 2 weeks, I took time to pray about it this morning. God led me to the following scripture:

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:10-11

This afternoon the kids hit us with questions during the lesson:
- When you get baptized does that mean you're saved?
- How do you go to heaven?
- If I die tomorrow, where will I go?
- Can I be baptized?

It was amazing! A few of our kids had chose to follow Jesus before and they weren't sure of their salvation, others had never made that choice and yet others wanted to make an outward sign of their choice to follow Jesus.

The work that several of our ministries have done over the summer have changed lives and the words were in the hearts of these kids. It came back just as God's promise in Isaiah states.

Thank you to each and every one of you that help, volunteer, pray and encourage the work at the Dream Center! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!

You Might Be a Redneck.....Part 3

These are just a few that I thought of that really were a part of the Heath Family Reunion 2008.

You might be a redneck, if at your family reunion:

• You have a fire pit at night to make s'mores
• There is a port-a-john to avoid the septic tank from backing up
• Your cousins show up with their 3rd, 4th or 5th wife
• Your family reproduces like rabbits (57 cousins to date and still counting)
  
• Sleeping in a tent is chosen over sleeping in a Marriott Courtyard
• Your uncle calls your modern hair-do a skunk look-a-like
  
• There's a dog fight...with dogs, not people
• You play corn hole, horse shoes and spoons for entertainment
• Your proud to be a Heath and wouldn't trade your family for any other

I had a BLAST at the family reunion and am already signed up for going back next summer. If anyone wants to make the trip with me, let me know!

O H I O

In St. Clairsville, OH for a Heath Family reunion! For those of you that might not know the Heath family...there are two things we like to do: talk and eat!

It's funny! I am actually challenged to get a word in edgewise with all my cousins around and can sometimes be the quiet one. I know...I know...you all CANNOT believe that one.

We have been hanging out at my Uncle Earl's farm the past 2 days and had the opportunity to go down and check out where my Grandma and Grandpa Heath's house used to be. I guess once you get older everything looks smaller than you remember it.

I hope to have some pics posted for you all before the end of the weekend and then it is off to Summer Camp with 58 kids between the ages of 8-12 years. Pray for me! :)

Fun Facts

Again...surfing the net to find some weird stuff. I thought, "Self, what kind of fun facts can you find about the Bible on the internet?"

Here's what I came up with:

1. Dogs are mentioned 14 times in the Bible, and lions 55 times, but domestic cats are not mentioned at all. Proves that God likes dogs better too...it does spell His name backwards.

2. The Bible, the world's best-selling book, is also the world's most shoplifted book.

3. Almonds and pistachios are the only nuts mentioned in the Bible.

4. The Bible has been translated into Klingon.

5. There are 49 different foods mentioned in the Bible.

Missions in Your Own Backyard

Do you know how much I love my job? Let me tell you...I thank God every day that I he has given me the opportunity to serve him in full time ministry. I know...pretty funny after a post like yesterday. Anyhow, I wanted to share a story and ask for prayer from those of you that might peruse this fine website.

Today I had the opportunity to get to know a Hispanic family that has been coming to the Dream Center for clothes and food for the past few months, a mother, Isabel, and her adult daughter, Maria.

They invited me back to their house today to help with some questions on paper work and a law suite that was filed for Isabel. Isabel had cancer in her uterus and had surgery to remove the cancer some time ago. During the surgery, they damaged her bladder and she now has to control as to when she goes to the bathroom. Truly a sad story. They are now trying to work with the hospital to get it repaired, but they are having problems and a lawyer has assisted in handling the case pro bono to see if the hospital will either make the situation right or provide monetary settlement to cover a repair surgery elsewhere.

They filed this suite in February and hadn't heard anything back from the law office as to an update. I called today and provided them with some feedback.

My prayer in this situation is that God would provide healing for Isabel and I ask you all to join me in this prayer. That He will provide a way where there doesn't seem to be one right now. They are a lovely family and fellow sisters in Christ.

Thank you my dear friends!

Blasphemy

I am writing this knowing that some of you might be upset that I find humor in this and then there are others that will find humor in it with me. For those that might be offended....PLEASE skip reading this post.

Sitting here this evening, I was thinking....'what if I wanted to buy a toy of Jesus.' I mean really. We give our kids action figures and Hannah Montana dolls, why not give them something that might help connect the figure of Jesus.

Well....Google is a wonderful thing. Ask for images of 'Jesus toys' and you come up with 565,000 choices. I will comment that in looking at the pictures, it appears that they may get confused on who Jesus is against other characters like: Moses, Sampson and something called God Jesus.

The options are limitless if you want to start a new trend. Maybe if Christians came together, we could force bobble head Jesus to be the new Tickle Me Elmo this Christmas Season. Think about it...

What did you get on Christmas, the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus? JESUS!!!

Here's some of my favorites!

One of My Favorite Things

Guess what today is?

Not my birthday or anniversary or anything special like that! It might actually rank higher up than those days because it comes more than once a year. On my current schedule it is about every 6 weeks. It is that special day when you can wake up, take a shower and put on a baseball cap and head out the door, knowing that in the next 2 hours you will be pampered and have a stylish new look.

Yep...I have a hair appointment today!

Those of you that know me well know that my hair is forever changing, both color and style. It is one of my favorite things. Don't get me wrong, I am not a Sampson...my identity isn't wrapped up in my hair. Frankly, I wouldn't mind shaving it all off if it was for a good cause. I just like trying new things with it. My dream is to be one of the models in the hair magazines!

So...if you're reading this and you see me Friday afternoon or later, please feel free to ohhhh and ahhhh! Until then...I will be enjoying some pampering.

The 5 "D's" of Dodgeball

In the famous words of Patches O'Houlihan, "If you're going to become true dodge ballers, then you've got to learn the 5 d's of dodgeball: DODGE, DUCK, DIP, DIVE AND DODGE!

We went over to a local high school today and took 17 middle school & high school students to team up with 3 other Seacoast campus to play some healthy games of dodgeball. It was a blast an I highly suggest that if anyone reading this has some aggression issues to join a dodgeball team.

After two and a half hours of hashing it out, the 2 teams in the championship round were the high school teams from North Charleston. We ended up taking first and second place, but more importantly provided an afternoon of fun and games for them outside of their day-to-day environment.


My input: I am too old to play dodgeball any more!

Reflections

I have sat in reflection most of today, humbled by the fact that God called a simple shipping girl from North Carolina, via Ohio to serve His Children. It is quickly approaching 9 months since we opened the doors to the North Charleston Campus - Dream Center and it has been one amazing ride so far.

Having a heart for missions, I could never have imagined the missions field in our own back yard. Let me share a few of the things that God has put in my path in the first 9 months of ministry:

• 3 orphaned children (kindergarten, 1st grade & 5th grade) after their mother passed away and then a fight to help their dad get them back from DSS
• Ring worms rampant through Hispanic Children – translated school documents and helped get over the counter medicine
• Children that moved overnight to family as their parents get their life straightened out
• A preemie baby that has survived and put on a healthy 9 lbs. in the last month
• Baptisms - 4 Elementary/2 Middle School
• 1 Prayer of Salvation with a student at 1st Wednesday
• Prayed over prayers on elementary cross: help my mommy to stop being angry, it is quiet at home since we came to church, thanks for my new daddy and many more that will break your heart

These are just a handful and I want to thank each one of you that have encouraged me, prayed for me and walked with me through each of these. May you find encouragement that God is at work and He choose each one of use to reach the next spiritual generation.

Not Your Average Pastor

Ok...I finally had some time to look at this video. For those that think Sam Lesky, our campus pastor, is just a nice city boy from New Jersey, take a look at this video on YouTube. It gives a glimpse of what our pastor does in his spare time.

Personally, I don't know what is scarier, the fact that he eats all crazy types of game or the music in the background with a Jersey accent.

Swimming Infants

A friend and sister in Christ shot me a note with this amazing website from a clip she saw the Today Show.

Watching it brought back so many memories of growing up in Ohio, where my grandparents had a pool. I think my grandma could have helped develop this technique. I remember when my brother was just barely walking. Our grandma taught him how to float and swim, as she had with each one of her grandchildren. We all swam before we were 2 years old. It made for summers full of family fun and priceless memories.

The ISR doesn't have any instructors here in the Charleston area, but there are plenty of places that offer Swim Lessons for kids. I highly recommend taking your kids to learn how to swim early and ALWAYS have adult supervision.

Thanks Kristen for sharing this! It brings tears to my eyes to watch these kids learning basic survival skills.

You Like-a The Pizza?

Warning: The following post may not be appropriate for little eyes!



So...we were at small group last night, finishing up the 'Reflect' Series that we have been doing at Seacoast Church. The discussion at the end was light and we started to talk about premarital counseling.

One of the things that is asked during premarital counseling at our church is to make a purity commitment to each other. It allows you, regardless of the decisions you've made prior to that point, to commit to staying pure until your wedding night and I am sure that God blesses that commitment. We have had friends that have made that decision and have seen their marriages flourish.

Well...that's when the analogy hit us. I know...you're looking at the title of this post and wondering what pizza and sex have in common. Let me just try and paraphrase how it was presented last night:

If you have pizza every night the week before your wedding, do you think you're going to want to eat pizza on your wedding night?
What a great way to look at this! Pizza is one of my favorite foods, but I can't eat it every night. It is something special and a treat in our house! I hope I didn't ruin pizza night for you, but I thought this was such a great way to look at this.

I Am Wonderfully Made

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. -Psalm 139:14

This is the memory verse for our Toddlers this month and anyone using My First Look will recognize it. It's funny how God intertwines the day-to-day with scripture and someone that I consider a hero in faith forwarded me an interesting e-mail. It brought that verses to mind and talked about a sermon that Louie Giglio, who I had the pleasure of seeing at Orange, did on DVD. He speaks about how this star-breathing, universe creating God also knitted together the human body.

Louie talked about how we can trust that God who created all of this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart...how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.

Then the e-mail talks about how Louie turned this into a discussion about the creation of the body and in specifics, laminin. You can check out the video on You Tube.

Ok...if you're like me, I had no clue what this was, but my hero of faith is also a doctor, so she saw the link right away. As described in Wikipedia, laminins are a family of protein that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue. In layman's terms, laminins are what hold us together. Without them, we would literally fall apart.

So...are you interested in what laminin looks like?

Here you go:
It's not a Christian 'portrayal' of it. Look it up...this is how any scientific or medical piece of literature will show it.

GO GOD!!!

What Breed of Dog Are You

Yesterday we moved a great friend that really helped push me along the path in serving in Children's Ministry. As the house sat empty, we gathered around the floor to eat some pizza. The topics of conversation were light and we moved to the question, what kind of dog would you be?

Well...wouldn't you know it, you can look that up online. If you're interested, click here. (Warning: You do have to put in an e-mail address and will probably get spammed)

So I know you're all anxiously awaiting this one and to be honest, I am a little upset about the results. I mean...I literally detest this type of dog. The drum roll please....

Amie, you're a Chihuahua!

No bones about it, you're an energetic, devoted Chihuahua. For your breed, size definitely doesn't matter. After all, sometimes the best things (diamonds, car keys, Godiva truffles) come in small packages. Honest and straightforward, you're never afraid to speak up for what you believe in, especially if it's a cause near and dear to your heart. Having such a passionate personality can come with a few drawbacks, though. You can be moody at times, and people often find it hard to live up to your high standards. But once you make a friend, it's for life. Saucy and intense, your energy and unfailing loyalty make you a great companion. Woof!

I Love the 80's

Ok...if you've perused my blog, you know that I am a big fan of the 80's. To make it clear, I am not stuck in the 80's, only a mere fan of the era. Well...one of the 80's phenomenons was the Rubik's cube. I remember frantically trying to solve the thing and then realizing the best way to make it work: take off the stickers, apply to the appropriate position, and make it appear as if you solved the puzzle. As they say in a famous commercial, BRILLIANT!!!

So...apparently there are some youngster out there that have mastered it without pulling stickers. If you're interested, check out this video: Rubik's Cube. I laugh when the kid seems disappointed at the end of his endeavor.

5 Things I Have Learned

I don't know if you can tell, but I LOVE what I do! I know that God has called me for such a time as this and even though I loved working for Maersk, I can't imagine doing anything different right now. Here's a few things that I have learned over the 8 months at the Dream Center and thought I would share:

1. When you don't think you have enough energy to get it done, you don't! Only God can provide that kind of energy!

2. When you want to give up and run away from a new idea, DON'T! Likelihood is that God is pulling you towards it. Pray and walk towards where God is working!

3. Take time to nurture the friendships that have been through the good, bad and the ugly. They know the real you and it doesn't scare them away!

4. Know when to call in the experts. Likelihood is that you aren't the first person ever walking down the path. Find someone that has and learn from their experiences.

5. Remember that God is God and I am not!

Happy Mother's Day

Ok...so you all have really cool moms, but my mom is the coolest. I mean think about it, she has put up with me for 35 years! My mom is a director of nursing at a state-run nursing facility for developmentally disabled adults. Each day she goes into work and gives her love & affection to the nurses entrusted in her leadership, as well as every one of the clients that lives at this facility. She shows God's love in action, loving those that others tend to forget!

I am thankful that she has passed down her heart for caring for people to the next generation. She has raised two amazing kids. Yes, I am one of them. She has modeled what a successful marriage looks like...over 37 years!!! Most of all...she has shown me unconditional love! THANKS MOM!!!

You Might be a Redneck...Part 2

So I have had some time to search YouTube again on a Friday night and found another hilarious clip. It gives you an idea of what rednecks with too much time on their hand can come up with. The funny thing is...I KNOW my brother and sister-in-law would do this! Actually, I am afraid that they'll look at this, figure it out and try it on their own. DON'T DO IT!!!

So if you have a couple minutes and want a little chuckle, click here.

The Book of Life

Matthew Barnett, from the L.A. Dream Center, came to speak at church tonight. He gave a message from John 5. There was a sick man that watched people healed from a healing spring for 38 years and one day, Jesus walked up to him and told him to 'Pick up your mat & walk.'

The man couldn't do it under his own power and the bottom line that was shared is that You can do more than you can do (with God).

Cool message and although Pastor Barnett is a gifted public speaker and motivational, not the cool part. I was sitting next to one of our Middle School kids that came with the BEST STUDENT MINISTRY DIRECTOR EVER! No...it's not me. I felt God tug at me to pray for his salvation, but stubborn Amie thought to herself, "No, it must be the food I ate for dinner and not God." Well...wouldn't you know it, as they are serving communion the young man leans over to me and says, "What is that?" I call this a slap in the head direct from heaven. To make it short, I had the opportunity to pray the prayer of salvation with this young man & then watch him take part in the celebration of communion with the rest of the body of Christ there tonight. His name is sealed in the book of life! PRAISE GOD!!!

God, thank you for this opportunity. May it keep me humble and protect this fellow brother in Christ as he begins his personal walk with you. Draw him closer to you every day. Amen.

What You Learn at Church

Up early in the morning and off to church! Our fearless leaders in Elementary left me for some weird ceremony called a 'hooding' ceremony...BUT...as always the team stepped up. Thanks to the rest of the team, I had the opportunity to help out in Elementary. I teamed up with an AMAZING couple to hold the fort down and our high school worship group provided live worship for our Elementary kids.

IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

I know I have posted before that the kids in elementary 'get it', but it was over the top to see the next generation stepping in and leading their next generation. It is humbling to know that God is a God that stays constant through the generations.

The best...I got to step in as small group leader for our lower elementary girls. They shared some prayer requests that break your heart. Not that they are bad, it is just that they get who Jesus is and I well up with tears every time they share their faith. After we were done with small group, we had some time because service was a little long, SOOOOO....we cat walked to worship music! It was a blast! When they grow up as Christian Super Models on catwalks with praise and worship music leading the way...you'll know where it started!

All in One Week

So you've checked the blog several times this week and you are thinking, "Why hasn't Amie updated her blog? I LOVE READING IT!" I appreciate the flattery and interest in my life. The reason that I haven't updated...it has been one crazy week. Here's the run down:

Monday: 5+ hours to Atlanta in a minivan with some of the coolest children's ministry peeps in the world. The plus is because of the need to stop more than we were ever allowed to as kids.

Tuesday: Full day of Orange in Atlanta learning from incredible teachers about reaching children and success in today's environment. It is amazing to see the work that God does through the body of Christ and I hope to blog more about that later. The night ended with an unforgettable dinner at Pappasito's. If you are interested about what happened, ask me!

Wednesday: Another day at Orange and confirmation that God has me exactly where He wants me right now. I gained some incredible insight on parenting skills and realized that unless the parents are involved, it will remain an uphill battle. The average kid will see their leaders in church 40 hours/year. A parent spends over 3,000 hours with their children!
(5+ hours back in the minivan)

Thursday: Back at the Dream Center and loving on God's people. We had a slow day, but it gave me time to get caught up in my weekly responsibilities and get set for a busy weekend.

Friday: No day off this Friday! I got curriculum ready for the weekend and had a great lunch with a sister in Christ. We drank A LOT of ice tea...too expensive at McAllister's if you don't!

Skipped out on Small Group because I had too much church and then ended up running over to LP to greet the Greenville Missions Team and make sure they got hooked up with Anne.

Saturday: Up early, Starbuck's coffee (logo marked out) and up to the Dream Center. Seacoast Greenville sent a youth missions team down to help in Adopt-a-Block and WE HAD A BLAST! Hit the streets of North Charleston in the A.M., enjoyed a short message and worship and then worked with their guys to clean up a yard. It was great to see the lives they touched.

Now...I am resting in the recliner and going to bed to be the church tomorrow morning! GOD BLESS!

My Absolute Favorite Candy

Just another useless piece of information on the internet. Have you ever wondered what you would look like if you were an M&M. Well...if that thought has come across the board of your memory bank, then there's a website for you. It is mms.com and as you can tell, I played with it a little this evening. If you make one, share it! I would love to see!

Sunday Blessings

Sunday is always a day that God shows me the blessings of working for Him. He didn't let me down and I wanted to share a few with you:

- Great weather! Spring is the BEST time of year in Charleston
- A toddler that said my name for the FIRST time! I love it!
- A beautiful picture of one of the baby girls I am watching grow up in front of my eyes
- A pregnant mommy that brings peace wherever she goes
- A team of people that LOVE God's children as much as I do and show up every Sunday to do it
- A smile from my husband
- Laying in a hammock for an afternoon nap


God, thank you for the blessings you provide every day!

God's Glasses

There are so many times that I pray "God, allow those things to break your heart to break mine." It seems like such a simple prayer, but God delivers every time.

Over the last 7 months I have had the privilege of serving the people of North Charleston. North Charleston is 7th in the nation for crime per capita and based on some statistics show as much as 36% of the population is living in poverty. The church I attend, Seacoast, opened a new campus with an outreach focus based on the L.A. Dream Center on September 9, 2007.

This is the day God started to show me what poverty looks like through His eyes.

Through a few of our ministries I have had the opportunity to meet many of His children that are overlooked in the world today. I have met people that live in trailers that have should long ago been condemned, people that have had electricity cut off for days, people that live on and off the streets depending on who might 'let' them sleep in their home that night, people that have no homes.

These are the people that Christ ministered to and He has given me the opportunity to serve them with a humble heart. I remain amazed by the faith that some of the people walk with each day, relying on the strength of our Lord to get them through and believing that He will.

Today, I pray that those that read this will pray that simple prayer, God, allow those things that break your heart to break mine.

My, How Things Change

Big O and I were talking this morning...we do that every once in a while. Anyways, I was telling him how much I enjoy where we are at now, but as I sit here this evening, I remember how thankful I have been where I have.

I took the time to go through some of the pics that I have from the past couple years and the travels taken. Here's a few of my favorites!

Thank you God for the opportunities you have given me and for the ones I have yet to discover.

A New (but not really) Logo

It's Monday and my treat on Mondays is a grande mocha at the local Starbucks. It is a $4 hit on my weekly budget and I am smart enough to realize that if I do this for the next 30 years of my life that I will spend $6,240 on coffee, assuming there isn't another increase in the cost of a cup of my favorite java. (Highly unlikely)

Anyways, today after getting my java and sitting down at work, a couple friends walked in and asked, "What do you think of the new logo?" To be honest, since I hadn't downed the cup yet, I hadn't really noticed any change. But after being prompted I felt like I had turn the page on a cheap girlie magazine. I mean really...do I have to look at this when I am drinking a cup of java?

In true style, I decided to do a little research and found this is really a throw-back for Starbucks in a marketing ploy to 'get back to the basics.' An online poll shows that 57% of people asked do NOT like this logo better than the famous green one shown above and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has banged them for moving away from one of the most recognized logos in the world.

Thankfully it is a temporary switch, but until they go back I will have to result to a sleeveless drink...or saving a few bucks and making some home brewed coffee!

A Child of the 80's

Can you relate to the 80's? Sir Mix-a-lot came into the scene in the mid 80's and finally hit it big with a song about back sides in 1992. There is a pretty funny spoof on GodTube with his song.

Check it out!
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=97759aa27a0c99bff671

A few other fads and trends you might remember if you grew up in the 80's:

Yes, I'm a Gamer

I thought I would add a little known fact about myself today.

Yes, I'm a Gamer!

Not the old-fashioned sense of the word which was used to refer to someone who played role-playing games or wargames, as described by Wikipedia. I am the modern day version, which includes people who love video games.

Although I like a little Guitar Hero every once in a while, my game of choice is COD4. Fellow gamers will know this is Call of Duty 4 and a first person shooter game, but for those of you that aren't, I'll explain. It is a modern day version of warfare where you carry guns and shoot your enemy. I like the online version where you capture flags. If you're a COD4 player, you can find me online under Eisbaer1010. I'm Mrs. Eisbaer!

Good Burger...Beautiful Sunset

Wonder where to get a good burger in Charleston? I can suggest a couple of places, but my FAVORITE is out on Sullivan's Island. It is a place called Poe's, named after Edgar Allen Poe. After a brief stint at the University of Virginia, Poe enlisted in the Army under the pseudonym Edgar Allan Perry and was stationed at Fort Moultrie at the western end of Sullivan's Island for 13 months beginning November 18, 1827. His time on the island inspired "The Gold Bug", a story about a mystical beetle that led to buried treasure.


The only hidden treasure that I have found out there is the Pit and Pendulum. It is a burger, cooked to liking, with applewood bacon and cheddar cheese.

On this particular day, the sunset was the real treasure, with pics from the Blackberry.

You Might be a Redneck if...

You make your own water slides!

Growing up in Ohio with cousins on a farm, there were quite a few summers that we made our own water slides. I can think of so many materials that we used, but the best is the plastic runners that you put over carpeting to protect it. WARNING: Do not lay down with small prickly side facing up, unless you don't like a person too much!

I thought that we had come up with some pretty good designs until I found this one on the internet. I would suggest taking the 2:30 minutes to take a peak!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ37G1GKXBY

Hanging Out with Uncle Sam on Tax Day

For the past couple of months, I have driven by two people that have been faithfully waving and trying to attract potential customers for a tax agency on Remount Road. It is about 4 blocks down from the church, so I have grown accustomed to seeing them down there and it brings a smile when I ride by on the way to the school for tutoring.


Well...what I didn't realize until a couple weeks ago was that both Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty attend Seacoast North Charleston. This made me smile even bigger and I would like to introduce you to Scott (that is Uncle Sam's real name). I actually first met Scott and his family at the Christmas Store Day in the jump castle. He was the only other adult that would get in there and act silly with the kids, which his nephew was among.

As I sent off our IRS Form 1040, I was saddened by the fact that Scott, whoops Uncle Sam, won't be out to greet the passer-bys on Remount now. It is a friendly wave in a pretty unfriendly area.

Please join me in praying that Scott will find another job that will provide some regular income and that he will continue to grow closer to God.

Historic Charleston

My sister-in-law took some awesome pics recently of Big O and I in downtown Charleston. Here are a couple of my favorites!

Kid's Know How to Worship God

Sundays always re-energize me! I mean ALWAYS!

I can start so many places: the parents' smiles as they drop off their kids, the little hands that provide an unforgettable hug, the volunteers that are faithful every Sunday in sharing the love of Christ with kids, the worship team that rocks the house.

This week, our Elementary Kids pushed me over the edge. They were lead in worship by one of our high school volunteers and 4 of their peers (who all R.O.C.K.!!!). I had the privilege to step in while they were in the middle of worship. I don't remember the first song, but I know it was crazy! The kids were all dancing and celebrating a joyous God. The second song (a personal favorite) was Get Down. I feel like I get a work out every time we sing this song. On this Sunday, it was really INCREDIBLE. I was 'lifted up' both physically and spiritually. I watched 26 kids jump up in all types of individual styles and 6 volunteers free style, including a grandma and preggo mom, as they worshiped Our Almighty Father!

Jesus Goes Mainstream

After a long day of hard work and serving a sweet sister in Christ, I am sitting in amazement as to how God works. Not just in general, but how He makes himself known in such a world that is focused on things so far away from Him. I learned today that American Idol had a segment on their 'Gives Back' edition that they sang Shout to the Lord. I watch several different versions in YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHuWxfcIqW4&watch_response).

To give you an idea of how many people this impacted, last week American Idol had an average of 24.8 million viewers based on Nielsen Media Research. In case you're interested, here are the lyrics:

My Jesus, my Savior, Lord, there is none like You;
All of my days I want to praise the wonders of Your mighty love.
My comfort, my shelter, tower of refuge and strength;
Let every breath, all that I am, never cease to worship You.

Chorus
Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing
Power and Majesty, praise to the King;
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name.
I sing for joy at the work of your hands,
Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.

Then, this evening, I got a call from a friend telling me that there was a show on about 'The Lord's Boot Camp' on CBS. The camp is part of Teen Missions International (http://www.teenmissions.org/). The special showed the struggle of 3 teenage girls in their acceptance of the gift of Jesus and walk with Christ. I don't know how many people watched this special, but it is obvious to me that God can and will use ALL things for His glory!!!

Another Crazy Website

Ok...I know you all are going to think, what does she do with all her time if I can find all these crazy websites. The reality is, we use them to make the Word of God real to people.

I was pointed in the direction of http://www.thebricktestament.com/ by Anne Randall, our student ministry director, and it is HILARIOUS! My personal favorite...the 13th frame of 'The Head of John the Baptist'. It brings back memories of destroying legos.

A True Jesus Lover

I found this link on someone else's blog, but has to be one of the funniest things that I have watched that wasn't on YouTube. Check it out!

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2007/ellen-gladys-hardy-p1.php?emf=1

Spring...a Time of Renewal

Spring has to be my favorite time of the year...it might be because I was born and married my best friend in April!

Really, I think it is because we get a glimpse of what heaven will look like. In the spring God takes the earth and renews the beauty! You look outside and see colors of green in the leaves that are breath-taking, flowers blooming in all different shapes and sizes.

God, thank you for the spring time. Thank you for the fresh creations and most of all thank you for the new creation you make in every one of us with the acceptance of the gift we have in Christ Jesus and the cross.