Wordless Wednesday: When the rum's gone, it's time for sweet tea!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A Pirates Life for Me....

Graphic © 2011 by Keenan Sultanik :: Sultanik.net

Oops... I mean, "A Christian's Life for Me!!" ;-)

Our 2011 Vacation Bible School is underway - this year, with an exciting Pirate Theme! 

FB stats: Smiles!

::Smiling:: During Prayer/Praise time tonight, B gave a praise that Monday is our 5th wedding anniversary - to which our teens followed, with a big round of applause!  ~ It really blessed me!! ♥ I love our teen ministry!! 

- Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Thanksgiving Challenge: Day 15

Our missions minded, bible believing  church, church family,  and  the many ministries put forth from it... 

Thanksgiving Challenge: Day 8

Missionaries - living by much grace and faith, as they follow God's call to reach a lost world for Christ!

Our busy Sunday...

Our day...

:: KB's first day in her Sunday School class!!

:: Seeing her learn more about "God" and [the] "Bible"


:: Church welcome for our new assistant pastor, Ben

:: My second Sunday on the piano

:: Grandparents Day!


:: Lunch with B's family, at a favorite restaurant

:: Music, music & more music

:: Nursery

:: Wedding reception for Pastor Ben & Melody!!!

:: Held baby Jackson (5½ weeks) for the first time!

Of snacktimes, butter balls, & Kung Fu...

As I mentioned in my previous post, this past week our church had their VBS! Knowing that this crazy, attached, "health-nut" mama wouldn't put her baby girl into the nursery, just to go off and teach other people's kids... I was assigned as one of the assistants in the 2, 3, 4, & 5 year old class - in which they allowed KB to participate, even though she won't be two for another two weeks. So I stuck her in the Ergo, during times we were walking to and from, or during times I needed her to sit still... and off we went.

In our class alone, we averaged about 30 kids each night (give or take)... and it was crazy, energetic fun!! We had songs, games, stories, puppets, crafts, and (the source of frustration)... a snack. Now, someone please explain the logic behind feeding a bunch of pre-k aged children a sugar-laden snack (cookies), and then be bewildered at why they won't still and listen... getting frustrated with them when you have no control, because they don't/can't?!? I just don't get it. And while I appreciate the drink of choice not being Kool-aid, like they gave the older kids - although merely out of mess-control, not health reasons (arg) - Cookies? Really? And not just one... but two or three? Again, I just don't get it.

So what was this conscious mommy's alternative? Nut butter balls! OMW, these are SO good... and believe it or not, pretty good for you! The combination of nut butter & the cocoa powder - yeah, these could definitely be addicting!

Recipe:

• 2 1/2 cup Oats
• 1 cup nut butter (I used peanut butter, but would love to try almond butter next time)
  
• 1/2 cup flax seeds, ground (Though ours had way more, do to an overly zealous toddler "helping" - oh well - flax are SUPER good for you!!
  
• 1/2 cup agave nectar or honey (I did honey)
  
• 1/2 cup dried coconut (I did less, do to taste preferences & the already excess amount of flax)
  
• 2 T carob powder (I'll admit, I used cocoa powder - lol!)
  
  
• Optional: 1/8 cup dates or raisins, chopped. (used raisins, unchopped - personally that was too many for my liking.)
• Optional: 1/8 C Cacao nibs or carob chips.
  

Mix together until combined well... then dig in - rolling the batter into balls with your hands. (You may need to wash your hands after a few, as sticky hands make it very hard to roll them.) Refrigerate, and they are good to go. One butter ball makes an awesome, quick on-the-go snack!

- Made a TON of balls (like, 3-3½ doz?)!! -

Recipe & cookie pix courtesy of: Nature Moms Blog

VBS...

(courtesy of)

Over the last three days, our church held their annual VBS (vacation bible school). This years theme was "Kung Fu Christian" (total fun!)... and between of our 150 average attendees, their guests, and a flourishing bus ministry... we had 189 kids in attendance the first night.. and 16 saved!! The next two nights we averaged approx 200 in attendance.... and had 19 and 32 saved, accordingly. That makes a grand total (all three nights combined) of 66 children saved! It was awesome! So exciting to see how God is moving at Liberty Baptist! ~ Praise the Lord!!

Leadership

A thought that was shared, and really resounded within me, recently....

"Leadership is not telling someone what to do... but the ability to affect human behavior so as to accomplish a mission, goal, or desire" ~JM

TFY: The burden of my heart

      We had a really neat missionary come to church Sunday night, and through his message and ministry, I could see my life purpose become a little more evident --.  The missionary's name was Pastor Stan Skriloff, and he and his wife are missionaries to U.S. servicemen at Ft.Polk Military base, LA....

       I realize awhile ago, that the Lord seems to have given me a special burden for families (esp. those with small children) who are 'fatherless'... through death, divorce abandonment, etc... But I have come to realize more recently, that I have an a even stronger burden for those who are fatherless due to their fathers being away in military service!  Over the last year or so, I have been a (part-time) nanny for a family of five small boys -- who's daddy  is in the Army Reserves (getting ready to go active), and has been away since May 2004. I know God has big plans for this family, and have enjoyed the awesome opportunity of caring and ministering to them!  I admire (and am grateful for) a man who has a burden for his country.... But, something  I admire even more that,  is the strength, courage and faith of the family  left behind!  I don't know where God plans on using this burden he's given to me, but I pray daily that the Lord would continue to soften my heart and give me a ministry to serve these special people!

    ~Tiph

TFY: VBS 2005 - recap

   Oulr 2005 CIA-VBS is all over... what an awesome week!!!  Tuesday night, Katy put me on crowd control (keeping everyone from talking and getting out of their seats) during Assembly time.  Well, I ended up spending all my time watching over a large group of teenage girls, from our Class-A ministry.... what an adventure!   * [side note] Class-A is a  ministry to the children, brought in through our bus ministry, from the 'new-town' area. The vast majority of them are black, and many of them come from broken homes.  On Sunday mornings we (the church) buss them in, feed them breakfast, and do an entire service type cass with them.--  it's a very rewarding ministry, but definitely not one for the faint in heart... as there are some rough children that come through!) [/side note] * Anyway, back to VBS.... where was I?  Ah! Yes... crowd control!  Well lets just say it's a miracle I didn't get the stuffin' beat out of me...  Some of those girls did NOT want to be quiet, and really didn't like it when I made them move to other seats, to get them away from each other! Katy later told me, she was just sure she was going to have to jump in the middle of a fights and break it up by the way this one girl was glaring at me.  I learned very quickly, that it you want to have any influence/authority over these kids, you have to stand strong and not back down for anything!   Now don't get me wrong, it was a tough night... but God used it to teach me some things about myself, and looking back I would do it again in heartbeat! I know God was there protecting me, and giving me the strength I needed to do my job!  

 

  Other highlights from the week....   *  We had 20+ children go forward on both Tues and Weds. nights for salvation.... for a grand total of 50 children getting saved over the week! :-) -- [Pastor] Lab-Man Dan and Super Agent Ben did some neat magic tricks over the week while sharing the gospel message!  *    The kids raised over $1500 with their Nickel Offering!
  *   We had over 100 guests come visit and attend 
  *   The girls won!! -- The children were challenged every night (in order to earn points) to learn their memory verses, bring nickels for the Nickel Offering, bring guests, and be on their best behavior.  Everyone worked hard, but in the end Mike (the boy's team leader) is the one who ended up with the pie in his face!  (Way to go, Katy and the  girls!)
   *   I got to dunk Marc in the dunking booth!!! -- Marc is one of the deacons and "grandpas" in the chruch, and takes great joy in teasing everyone... esp. me at the piano!  ;-)

Well. I could go on and on, but i have a piano student coming soon, so I'm going to go!
Signing out till next time,
Secret Agent Tiph

TFY: VBS 2005

     Our VBS kicked off last night with an exciting CIA - "Christian in Action" theme! All of our "recruits" had a ton of fun becoming "agents" by quoting their memory verses, being attentive during Assembly time in our "headquarters", and completing endurance tests in both the intelligence and training centers.   The Assembly lesson was about Lazarus, and Lab Man Dan (Pastor Dan) amazed the crowd with many illusions, including a flaming bible (unscorched afterwards) during his story. You just never know what to expect with the Lab Man and his new assistant 'Super Agent Ben'.  I worked in the endurance center and had a ton of fun interacting with all the children....Bill got a ton of pictures, I'll have to see if I can post them soon!  -- Can't wait to see what exciting things are going to happen, tonight!

Special Agent,
~T.C

P.S - We had 12 children get saved tonight! Praise the Lord!