Category: In The News

New Ministry

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Pastor Doug measures and praying about leasing this space

Yesterday I told you that I’d fill you in on what’s been taking up my days and nights for weeks now. We are opening a RE-Store. A RE-Store is a new name for a thrift shop. For weeks now, we’ve been gathering items, and now we should have our official grand opening on Saturday.

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Can you imagine what we can do with this space?

We modeled our store after the La Porte, Texas store run by an organization called Role Models Of America. This RMA store will be called Oasis RMA and will be the West Coast representation. We are proud that they trusted and allowed us to join forces with them.

Dawn and DeWayne taking a break from their hard work as volunteers

We had to first dispel the notion of what a thrift store is with our congregation. As you all know the TLC4Women scripture that we base our ministry on is:

Romans 12:2 2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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The grid walls are in. Let's start moving in!

This scripture applied here big time. We had to change our mind about what a thrift store looked liked and felt like. So here is the vision of our new ministry:

We are not a yard sale or a junk store. Our ministry is one of excellence and so the items in the store are items that are in good condition. No stains, no rips, no tears, no “good enough”. We want to offer a good product to our community because, after all, it represents the ministry. Nothing is wasted. Anything that doesn’t go into the store is sent to be recycled. This is important to us because we don’t want to waste resources. God’s commandment of replenishing the earth doesn’t mean making more landfills!

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Mary Lou and Dawn working some long hours!

This ministry will help on multiple layers. We have partnered with our county to help clothe people for their job interviews. Sometimes all it takes to land a new job is to have a new outfit to boost your self-esteem. We also offer help getting your resume together and giving mock interviews. We also will have items to help with benevolence. The economy being what it is, we will have access to things that can help. We aren’t even open yet, and a woman who is a week away from giving birth just moved to town. They don’t have furniture and we got a couch donated that we think will be a blessing to her. Being able to help is what we are called to do! Besides it makes me really happy!

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What a blessing!

The money that the store generates, will help with our food pantry, a youth program that we need and help us with our missions work. Our community has been so helpful! We really live in a good city with good people who have a desire to make it a better place. We could not be more grateful!

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Pastor Sergio who works tirelessly!

So now you know what we’ve been up to. The store will open on Saturday. I’ll be sure to post some pictures and update you as we go. For now, we covet your prayers!

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Naomi and Ruth offer comic relief at the end of hard day's work

Fashionista

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I love clothes and fashion and everything about being a woman. I love shoes the absolute most and I like a good purse. I refuse to be a slave though. I wear what I want and what makes me feel good. I used to follow the no white after Labor Day rule but don’t anymore and haven’t for some time. I didn’t do it as some sort of rebellion but in California it’s still hot in September and white is cool and summery. I do have to say that as the summer days grow to fall and winter, my white generally goes away but I do have a suit with a white skirt that I wear in winter at least once.

Where did the rule come from anyway? So here’s a article of explanation. Enjoy it and remember, if it was good enough for Coco Chanel it’s good enough for us!

Moms Against Hunger

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Today I want to direct you to a really good friend of mine and fellow Pastor’s wife blog. Her name is Dr. Gayla Holley and she is the President of Moms Against Hunger. As you will read her prayer list she has some exciting things that we can get involved in. There are people that can use our help and if we all just pitch in a little, it will go along way. To the right of my home page you’ll see a donate button. Please donate to this worthy cause. There are people who are quietly working for the betterment of others and Dr. Gayla is one of them. Click here to view her blog.

Just A Fun Post

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Ren Netherland/Barcroft Media www.dailymail.co.uk
Ren Netherland/Barcroft Media http://www.dailymail.co.uk

I saw this poodle online and thought it was interesting dog competition. I’d like to know how you get dog to sit for that long? Lulu, my wonder dog, would never do it! Most of you know from Twitter that Lu got bit in the face, by another dog, and had to have stitches two weeks ago. I wanted to snap some pictures of her face and she would not sit still for a second! So I’m intrigued. The article has some amazing works of arts. Check it out!

Here’s the link!

My favorite was Jack Sparrow the pirate.

The Homeschool Issue

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I read this article with interest this morning. While this court case is, in my opinion, more about divorce than homeschool, the precedence it sets is disturbing to me. I’d love to hear how you weigh in on the matter. I really have no opinion about homeschooling myself. I’ve seen it done well and I’ve seen it done in ignorance but we can say the same about traditional school.

We sent our children to a private religious school and found that by the third grade they were 1.5 years behind in their learning. Basically the fees we paid were to ensure that our kids were at the right school for social reasons. Thankfully, with public school and special tutoring we were able to get them back on track and now they are scoring well above their grade level. A good education and a bad one can happen anywhere.

I have never considered homeschool simply because I am not patient, nor do I feel equipped or that I have a home set up for homeschooling. My kids probably are breathing a sigh of relief for that. I admire parents who can do this for their child. All this being said, I do have serious doubts about the un-school group. Maybe because I just don’t get it.

Anyway here is the article!

Life Lessons

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Written By Regina Brett, 53 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio (written in 2006)

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written. My odometer rolled over to 50 in August, so here is the column once more:”
1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good..
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God.. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about..
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ”In five years, will this matter?”.
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29.. Time heals almost everything.. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
34. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back..
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.
(don’t know what #45 is!!!)

Eating Poison

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I was running errands for the church yesterday and I got a chance to listen to an hour of uninterrupted Dr. Laura on the radio. A mother called in to ask for advice with her children. She said that her teens hadn’t learned a life of responsibility. Dr. Laura asked what she thought the problem was and the mom said she gave them everything without asking for anything in return. Now, they didn’t want to hold their end of the bargain. Oh, I thought, the old you never value what you don’t earn philosophy is true.

The frustrated mom said she’d asked her 19 year-old to move out. Dr. Laura seemed to think this was fine as she asked the mother if she was still giving financial support. The mom sighed and said, she knew she had to stop. Dr. Laura sounded discouraged and said the mother was in essence feeding her child poison. Oh, I thought, so you move your child out but continue to pay the bills so, what does that do?

I listened intently and really got a visual for this. While we as parents have a responsibility to raise independent, respectful, productive citizens of the planet many of us, through overindulgence in many areas, we feed our children poison. It was sad.

I watch a young mom in our church as she struggles with her grade school child. I see her really trying to do the right things and get her child on track. I also see that she is met with opposition by well-meaning people. I try to encourage her and help her in her parenting as much as I can. I see her effort and her exasperation as she takes a deep breath, gets up and goes for it on a daily basis. She is working hard to feed her child the right stuff. Lord, I pray, let it work Lord. Let it work!

Sometimes doing the right thing is hard. It’s not popular in our society. I heard a mom say, “Kids aren’t afraid of their father’s disappointed looks anymore.” I remember wanting more than anything to please my father. Only, the problem is that as the bible says, there are many teachers but not many fathers.

After Dr. Laura’s comment about feeding your children poison, I sat back and realized that we do this in so many ways. When we don’t hold them to a basic standard of living. My husband flips out when he hears fathers who allow their daughters boyfriends to spend the night. He says to me, “Who does that? Come use my daughter. She’s free, hey we’ll even feed you!” It drives him crazy.

My child was caught doing something they had been forbidden to do last week. Of course their first response was to lie/deny. Their second response was to say they didn’t do it and blame “a friend” for the issue. Finally it was to confess and blame us for our “stupid rules”. Only we opted not to feed poison. We offered the rich meal of consequence. Was there hell to pay with the kid? Sure! Absolutely! Honestly, though as followers of Christ it is our job literally to get the HELL out of our kids life by whatever method that takes. And no I don’t mean leave the kid alone. I mean literally get HELL out of their life.

Feeding them poison can be in not giving them a bedtime so that they get enough sleep and can do well in school. Feeding them poison can be by allowing them to be couch potatoes who battle obesity. Feeding them poison can be not giving nutritious meals. Feeding them poison can be through our hateful behavior or being too busy to hang out with them. Feeding them poison can be by overcompensating for our guilt.

So while Dr. Laura was talking to this woman about how to stop financially supporting their child, I saw a bigger picture. One that explains how we get to where this mom is. Don’t let this be us Lord! Please, don’t let this be us!

Fat Dumb and Not So Happy

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I was listening to Dr. Oz today on Alzheimers and its correlation to obesity. It seems that according to his radio program about 50% of all Americans over the age of 85 will have this disease. 50%. Half. That number seems incredible. The fact that we are living longer means we want to have more quality of life. 85 when you’re living to be 100 means 15 years of not knowing what is going on in your life.

They are finding that obesity and lack of exercise are a direct link. Bottom line, we’ve got to take more control of our health. We’ve got to know about the hormones that are in our meat. We’ve got to get more concerned about our kids reaching puberty at younger and younger ages. We’ve got to learn to cut back or eliminate soda and processed sugar and dairy. Do you realize what a strong lobby these industries have in Washington? It’s big business to keep you unhealthy!

Meanwhile, I see obese children at younger and younger ages. They break my heart. They wear clothes are way too old for them because nothing in their age group fits and they can’t move the way other children do. Morbid obesity is anyone with a BMI index of 40. We overfeed ourselves, our kids and our pets. Let’s informed and let’s get moving.

Also, don’t let your brain go to mush. Read! Do puzzles, get a hobby, challenge yourself! Let’s be healthy, smart and happy.