Live From Louisvillle...It's Ben and Christie Rogers!

Ben's Favorite Pics...Ice Storm 2009

2009-02-02T19:23:00.004-06:00

Snowstorm 2009

2009-01-28T10:27:00.005-06:00

Good News and Bad News

2008-12-07T16:54:00.005-06:00

It has been an eventful week for us! Bad news first - the powers that be at my school have decided that they must fill an open Spanish position two weeks before finals. As I have the certification necessary, I have been elected to move departments into the position. I will no longer have a classroom, as the open position is for a floater who moves throughout the four story school. Also, I will be teaching the "comprehensive" aka behavior issue classes. This will not be pleasant.

Now for the much more pleasant good news: Ben has been asked to be a Garrett Fellow to Dr. Nettles! This is an honor for Ben and I am very proud of him. He has worked very diligently this semester and God has blessed his efforts with new friends, new knowledge of several areas, and now, the opportunity to be a Garrett Fellow.

A Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T16:05:00.003-06:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend in Mississippi. It was especially good to see our friends at New Home again. Ben preached on Wednesday night and we were able to share a meal with them.
It was also really nice to spend some leisure time with family. Ben's Meemaw was visiting Clinton, so we were able to see her more than usual.
I hope that everyone had as much fun as we did. Only 3 more weeks until Christmas!

To SBC or not to SBC?

2008-11-22T06:42:00.006-06:00

That is the question...

With the fallout of the John 3:16 Conference dulling to a low roar, I thought that I would share some thoughts and fears about our future as Southern Baptists. (You can read some of the responses here or here, or just ask Ben. He has plenty to say on the matter.)

Ben and I love Baptist churches. We especially love Mississippi Baptists and feel called to work in our home state again one day. Lately, however, I have been concerned about whether or not the Southern Baptist Convention will have us. We are branded with the scarlet letter. That letter is a "C."

As you may know, Ben received his M.Div. from RTS Jackson. My family and I were members of a Presbyterian church. Now, we are in Louisville, KY where Ben is pursuing his doctorate and studying under men like Dr. Tom Nettles and Dr. David Puckett.

We are Calvinists. Wow. I'm not sure if I've ever actually seen that in print before. It is a little scary considering the current climate, but it is necessary to say. We are not confrontational people, but I would not have us hide what we believe. It is the whole doctrine of God.

Earlier this week Ben sent me this blog. I read it and my immediate reaction was to get really angry that poor guy has been blacklisted because of his beliefs. Then, I thought about how many times I have avoided the Calvin conversation myself. I thought of a recent lecture that I heard on William Tyndale. Tyndale sacrificed his life for what he believed. I guess a little ostracism is a small price to pay for holding to the scripture-based solas.

My second reaction to reading Voddie Baucham's blog was fear. After all, if these things can happen to someone like him, we are certainly at risk. I have lots of questions like: Will the SBC go on a witch hunt and kick all of us out? What will some of the reformed-leaning pastors at home do about this? Will they ignore us? Or will they help us? Will Southern Seminary officially take a stand on this matter for its professors and students?

I do not know the answers to these questions today, but I do know that we will continue to be Southern Baptists. This week, I will start working on the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering at church. (If that ain't Baptist, I don't know what is!)

I grew up Baptist, but I rarely shared the Gospel because I didn't know what I believed. Now that I listen to solid, biblical preaching, I am told that my beliefs kill evangelism. I disagree. I am on fire now. I want to be a new kind of Baptist. I want to share the Gospel with unbelievers and not skip over anything. I want to be the kind of Baptist that can articulate what I believe and back it up with scripture. I will know the attributes of God and praise Him daily for his sovereignty. I think they call that Reformed Baptist.

Harry Connick Jr.

2008-11-18T20:17:00.004-06:00

Thanks to a connection at my school, we got free tickets to the first performance of Harry Connick Jr.'s new tour.

Ben and I enjoyed the concert at the Louisville Palace on Tuesday night. We had a great time watching Harry Connick Jr. perform Christmas music and some other favorites. The Palace is an incredible venue. This was a fun way for us to kick off the holiday season!

Lately..

2008-11-11T18:28:00.003-06:00

It is cold and rainy here. We are bracing for the winter, and hoping for a mild one. My car is out of the shop, and the tires repaired from a blowout that we had on the way to church last week. We are worry-free and on wheels again!
Ben has been working like crazy getting the last of his papers completed. I got really sick last week and am still recovering from a sinus infection. With his busy schedule, it is a blessing that Ben did not catch it. This is his last big, busy week and then he can take a breather.
At school, there is still a possibility that I may get moved into another department in January. We are hoping and praying against that because it would be a big inconvenience and very stressful. In the meantime, I am teaching The Odyssey to my Freshmen and they are working hard. We are all ready for the holiday breaks.
So, that's what's happening lately.

Fall Foliage

2008-10-26T19:41:00.005-05:00

Take a look at these pictures of the pretty fall leaves around the campus. We took a walk tonight and got these shots.

Hillcrest Halloween

2008-10-25T20:42:00.009-05:00

On Hillcrest Avenue, just a few streets down from the seminary, there is an annual display of Halloween decorations. Almost every house on the street gets into the act. We walked down with our neighbors, Todd and Kim. We particularly enjoyed "Dante's Disco Inferno." The "Martha" house was also fun with it's tombstoned dedicated to Freddie Mac, 401K, and Enron.

Prayer Requests

2008-10-22T17:59:00.003-05:00

Please keep us in your prayers during this especially hectic week. Ben is in the thick of his paper-writing time and is extremely busy from dawn to dusk. Both of our cars are giving us some trouble. Mine broke down this morning and is in the shop. Ben's will go in when we get mine out.
Also, this weekend we will be part of a marriage conference at a church in Indiana. Ben is leading two sessions and I will be leading one. The conference takes place on Friday evening and on Saturday. As this is a busy time for Ben, we need prayers for preparation time and for blessings on the conference itself.

Beginning and Ending Well

2008-10-15T14:38:00.005-05:00

Everyone has those days when it is hard to face what waits for you. Many times I have had difficulty going into my day. God has blessed us with my job as it provides for us here, however a significant amount of stress accompanies the provision. Last semester I struggled with anxiety and fear when I woke up in the morning and when I went to bed at night. It's a long story, but suffice it to say that just the thought of going into my school was enough to make me despair. I know that God does not want those feelings for me. We should never despair in what He has ordained. So, I started doing some reading and I wanted to share some of the ways that I learned to change my thought processes.

Starting the day:

1) Begin by acknowledging that you really can't do anything - not without Christ! Remember and have faith in the fact that you need and are completely dependent upon Him.

2) Take your thoughts captive. (This was the hardest one for me.) Do not allow yourself to listen to your negative thoughts. Stop listening to yourself and talk to yourself about the goodness of God. Remember that you have faith for the future. He will bring his work in your life to completion for His glory and your good.

3) Use your commute or "getting ready" time to pray or memorize scripture. This also helps with #2! If you are busy memorizing or praying, you don't have time to think poisonous thoughts.

Ending the Day:

1) Thank God for the gift of sleep! (see blog below)

2) Thank Him for the blessings of the day and acknowledge that He is the source of all good things.

3) Seize this opportunity to express gratitude for the cross. There is no comparable gift.

These things have really worked for me. I am much less anxious and more positive as I begin my day. This has also helped me to have that invaluable reflection time before bed. Ending the day contemplating the blessings of God has a real affect on how you wake up.

Check out this blog...

2008-10-09T19:03:00.001-05:00

Ben reads this blog pretty often. I recently commented on a post concerning the state of public schools. Check it out!

http://ericcarp.blogspot.com/

Savoring Sleep

2008-10-05T19:43:00.003-05:00

After a 3 day weekend I am feeling particularly well-rested. One of the reasons for that feeling is the restful sleep that I have enjoyed. Reflecting on all of that sleep, I remembered a blog that I read a few months ago which hinted that naps may be a sinful thing. I disagree.

In his book, Humility, C.J. Mahaney charges Christians to praise God for sleep. It is certainly a gift like no other. Sleep did not have to be such a pleasant thing. God could have created another, less delightful (I do mean delightful) way for us to be rejuvenated. In addition to praising God for this gift, we can also praise Him for his sovereignty in a special way. What better example do we have for the all-sustaining sovereignty of God than sleep? Sleeping is a time when we have to admit to absolutely no control. He gives us every breath and every heartbeat. It is by His grace that we wake from our sleep. I am making it a habit to thank God for this gift every time I close my eyes to rest. I hope that you will do the same.

Happy Birthday to Ben

2008-09-20T17:11:00.005-05:00

Monday is Ben's birthday! We had some other seminary students and their spouses come over on Friday night. We all ate red velvet cake (Ben's favorite) and chips. Ben wants to thank everyone for his great gifts which include a new watch and gift card to Lifeway from Mama Brown, some much-desired CD's and student loan payments from his parents, and some gift cards for eating out from Jeff and Matt. I got him a new TV. We have been watching on a tiny little one for a long time. No longer. It took some saving, but Ben is now the proud parent of a 42 inch HD TV.
It has been a pretty good birthday weekend for Ben!

Ike comes to Kentucky

2008-09-17T12:44:00.005-05:00

While driving home from church on last Sunday, Ben and I experienced what the news is calling "Wind Storm 2008." Apparently, Ike's outer bands gained strength when it encountered a cold front and pounded Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio with 75 mph winds. In Louisville over 300,000 people lost power due to tremendous wind damage. We were without power for three days. Many people are still waiting as crews from Kentucky and other nearby states work to rebuild and restore the broken poles and lines.

Both my public school system and Southern Seminary canceled classes for the entire week, so Ben and I have been working ahead, reading, and rearranging furniture.

I have to take this opportunity to praise SBTS and thank God for them. The seminary went above and beyond to provide and care for those of us who live on campus. We were offered meals for three days and we were kept informed by text messages and people who went door to door to give us updates. The meals were a special blessing as many of us lost our weekly groceries when food went bad. This also provided us with an opportunity to sit in the dark and eat melting ice cream with people we did not know. That may not sound so good, but we have made new friends because of the experience. I am really proud to say that we are part of SBTS and I hope they know how much we appreciate the work done by professors, building and cafeteria staff, and the president and his family.

For Ben and I, this has brought back some unpleasant memories of life after Katrina. Fortunately, we have had mild weather to make our days bearable. With the exception of groceries and a week of class, we have lost very little. We continue to pray for the residents of Texas and Louisiana who are still struggling. We also remember the many in Kentucky and surrounding states who are without utilities and are dealing with home and auto damage from the storm.

A busy week...

2008-08-20T18:43:00.005-05:00

The second week of school is really busy with new students and getting started activities. I am teaching all Freshmen this year, and they have no clue. They don't know where the bathroom is, how to open a locker, when to eat lunch, etc. They are wearing me out!

I am working until my eyes are blurry every night and getting up at 5:30. (Ben doesn't like that part.) Tonight, I am cheering myself up by posting some previously unseen pictures of our trip to Philadelphia and New York.

How long until summer break comes again?

I survived the first week of school!

2008-08-15T16:15:00.003-05:00

Seriously. I'm thinking of getting a t-shirt made. My classes this year consist of a Literacy Lab (2 hours with one class!) and two levels of Freshman English. I LOVE my Advanced Freshman. I could hug them every day. The regular groups are a bit rowdy, but it is much better than the groups I had last year. With a school of 2,200 students, you never know what you are gonna get. Hope everyone else is having a good week!

Broadway and Times Square

2008-07-28T14:16:00.007-05:00

While in NYC, we went to a Broadway show. All six of us saw Mamma Mia! on Thursday evening. It was packed...I really expected more flashy sets and costumes, but it was a pretty simple story. After the show we walked around Times Square where Ben took these pictures.

World Trade Center

2008-07-23T17:35:00.004-05:00

I couldn't go to NYC and not go to the World Trade Center site. My sister would have been livid! So, we visited Ground Zero and the WTC Museum. Although it is very small, I recommend the museum. Inside you watch two short videos and hear personal stories. There are also several artifacts including an airplane window, firefighters' jackets, and personal items belonging to victims. Seeing these things, as well as the wall of pictures of the victims, really made this event more real to me than ever. If you visit, be aware that you cannot actually get onto the WTC site and there is a large fence around it. Also, a visit to St. Paul's at the south end of the site is worth a stop. This is where many of the rescue workers and volunteers took shelter during the days and weeks following the events. They offer a wonderful timeline of events spanning from 9-11 through late 2002.

Natural History Museum and More...

2008-07-23T17:21:00.008-05:00

There is a ton of walking involved in a visit to NYC. Our maps were our best friends! We enjoyed the Natural History Museum, but I actually preferred the Creation Museum. I tired quickly of the emphasis on evolution. I can't understand why I can't just look at the stuffed bison without hearing how he is my distant relative. Anyway, on the same day we toured St. John the Divine and had dinner at the "Seinfeld" restaurant. Then, Ben made us trek all the way to Grant's tomb just to get a picture that he could use to tease Jason McCoy.

Brooklyn Bridge

2008-07-21T18:55:00.005-05:00

NYC - Liberty Day

2008-07-21T18:47:00.005-05:00

On our first full day in NYC, we took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. The ride over was a lot of fun and we were excited to get such great views of the statue. Ben's Dad was able to get us into the SOLD OUT museum and pedastal of Lady Liberty.

The All-Star games were in town and Ben took a picture with this miniature lady all decked-out with team emblems.

Amish Country

2008-07-19T21:26:00.014-05:00

The visit to the Amish Country of Pennsylvania was very interesting. We learned about their roots and lifestyle and did some shopping. It wasn't until we passed Dutch Wonderland that I realized that we were near the home of my favorite TV stars - Jon and Kate plus 8. I kept my eyes peeled for sextuplets, but I never had a sighting. We did, however, see and shop with lots of really nice Amish people. This place as a tourist attraction leaves you with the strange feeling that the commercial heart of the area is in conflict with the beliefs of the Amish. They didn't seem to mind too much and we had a lot of fun.

Ben is as strong as an ox.

We had lunch at this restaurant. It was served family-style and we got to eat and talk with people from all over the country. The food was good (and plenty).

Learning the secrets of the Amish and Mennonites at the Museum and Visitor's Center. Here, we toured a full-size replica of the Biblical Tabernacle.

These Crocs made awesome travel shoes.

Gettysburg

2008-07-19T21:17:00.005-05:00

Road Trip 2008

2008-07-17T23:30:00.003-05:00

Our trip began in Pennsylvania. Here are Ben's parents and the infamous Previa at the PA Visitor's Center.

It was a long drive to York and I read three books on the way.

Summer Trip 2008

2008-07-14T21:27:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Right now, we are in NYC. I would have liked to upload some photos, but the WiFi in these hotels is not very reliable. I am going to try again tomorrow to put the photos on the blog.
So far, we have visited Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Philadelphia, Lancaster County (Amish Country), and New York City. We will be in NY until Saturday when we will return to Louisville.
Today we visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We also walked around Manhattan and across the Brooklyn Bridge. Ben took some beautiful pictures as the sun was setting over the bridge. Hopefully, I will be able to post them soon.
My favorite parts of our trip so far have been Gettysburg and Valley Forge. There was so much historical information and impressive exhibits at these places. Tomorrow we are planning to take a slower pace (we might have overdone it today) and visit Trinity Church and the World Trade Center site.

There and Back Again

2008-07-07T20:44:00.003-05:00

Today we made it back to Louisville after a long visit to Mississippi. It was hard to say goodbye to our friends, but it is good to be back with all of our own belongings. I am so glad to get to sleep in my own bed tonight!

Tomorrow, Ben's parents will leave Clinton and make the trip to Louisville. They will spend one night here, and then we will all leave for the Amish Country. From there, we will go to Philadelphia and New York. We will be traveling in the Previa. This van has a few miles on it, however it seems to be the best option. We have our fingers crossed and Ben's Mom has branded this vacation, "Death of a Previa." It should be an adventure and we are planning to post lots of pics.

Home is where the hot is...

2008-06-05T13:51:00.003-05:00

This month, we are back in Mississippi and enjoying (enduring?) the 90+ degree weather. It has been great seeing family and being at New Home Baptist Church again. On Wednesday evening, we began a study of the abridged version of Calvin's Institutes. It went really well and we had several visitors. I think this will be a fruitful study.
This weekend, we are off to Monroe, LA to take part in a wedding celebration. Ben's cousin, Andrea, will be married Saturday evening and Ben is officiating. We are both looking forward to seeing the Monroe branch of the family and to eating some wedding cake!

Prayer Request

2008-05-23T17:12:00.005-05:00

Please remember to pray for the family of Stephen Curtis Chapman as they prepare for the funeral of his young daughter tomorrow.

http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/

The Missing Links - R.C. Sproul

2008-05-20T09:12:00.005-05:00

The last few weeks I have been busy and have not posted some of the notes from Together for the Gospel. Please do not think that this is because these messages were not as good as the others. In fact, the opposite is true. I enjoyed these so much that I wanted to take time in posting the notes and I just never got around to it. Anyway, some people may already have downloaded and listened to these, but the notes may serve as a reminder of the powerful messages from God's word.

Notes from the message by R.C. Sproul:

*There is no one image that can explain the cross. It is a multi-faceted event and a magnificent tapestry.

*There is an image that has receded almost into oblivion - the idea of a curse inflicted by God on His Son. Recall that when the New Testament speaks of atonement, it does so in terms of substitution, satisfaction of God's wrath, ransom, and victory over death. See also Isaiah 53 and ask yourself "how can the Father be pleased to bruise His Son?" It pleased Him because He accomplished His eternal purpose of restoring us.

*The idea of a curse today is associated with voodoo or superstition, but the biblical categories for curses are not superstitious. Remember the fall of man provoking a curse on the serpent, the earth, and women. The giving of the law attaches a curse to the covenant with its negative sanction in Deut. 28:15-19. Old Testament prophets pronounced curses in the name of the Lord. Isaiah calls a curse on himself in Isaiah 6 when he beholds the holiness of God. These statements are in the Bible, yet we often ignore them, preferring to the hear the blessings and not the curses in Scripture.

*So...what was it to Jesus to be cursed? Look to the benediction: "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc. Consider that the antithesis of these elements were the curse for Christ. A vivid malediction emerges: "May the Lord curse you and abandon you. May the Lord keep you in darkness and give you only judgement. May the Lord turn His back on you and remove His peace from you forever."

*We cannot image the weight of this curse. Yet, Jesus redeemed us from this same curse by becoming the curse for us. He did not simple take the curse of our sins, he became it. God is too holy to have looked upon Jesus, who became the primitive, obscene curse of sin. Jesus endured the malediction, when even the sun did not shine of calvary. Christ cried out on the cross. Was He in a quoting mood? No, this is not just a Psalm quote, not the cry of a disillusioned prophet, but a cry from the depths as He bore the curse of being utterly forsaken by the Father.

*There is little of this curse found in the pseudo-gospel of today. The Gospel is more than unconditional love which requires no need for repentance. God does love us, even in corruption, but we are still under the curse. We will either bear the curse, or flee to the One who bore it for us.

More Conferences...

2008-05-20T08:56:00.003-05:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, Ben and I will be attending the New Attitude conference. New Attitude is part of Sovereign Grace. Speakers this year include John Piper, Mark Dever, C.J. Mahaney, and Joshua Harris. In addition to this line-up of speakers, we are looking forward to the music. At Together for the Gospel, music was led by Bob Kauflin. The hymns were arranged beautifully and it was a joy to sing and be led by him. If you are interested in worship leadership, check out his blog or his book - Worship Matters. We have an extra copy of the book if anyone is interested.

I feel terrible that I still have not finished posting the notes from Together for the Gospel. I am off today for Kentucky election day, so I am planning to organize my thoughts on the sermons and post them. Better late than never!

P.S. I know that I have linked this blog within an inch of its life, but each link is a good one!

Things that go bump in the night

2008-05-11T13:36:00.003-05:00

So...Friday night we were really tired and went to bed around 10:00. At about 10:45 I heard a noise outside. I thought it was my imagination and tried to go back to sleep. Just then, someone started to jiggle the doorknob of our apartment! It scared me and I tried to wake Ben up to come to the door with me. He was out cold, so I went into the living room alone. The person was still trying to get the door open! I started yelling, "Who's there?" and holding the chain lock. The person yelled back, "Open!" Finally, I screamed for Ben to come into the living room and he (all 6 feet and shirtless) flung open the door. In our doorway stood a tiny Asian man with two boxes of Smuckers Uncrustables under his arm. Seriously. We believe that he was staying with family and had come to wrong apartment, but he didn't say anything. He just left. In the end, I think we scared him more than he scared us.

Creation Museum

2008-05-03T20:53:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, schools were out for Oaks Day, and Ben and I went to the Creation Museum. This museum is a walk through history dedicated to Creation science. The museum is just about an hour and a half away from us, so it was a nice little day trip.

The museum is filled with live action dinosaurs, moving figures, multi-media, a large-scale ark, a garden of Eden and much more.

We loved learning about the history of skepticism, the intricate design of our world and the way that the flood still changes it.

This museum is no small place - it offers over 65,000 square feet of exhibit space and took us about 2 and a half hours to walk through. The grounds feature a beautiful botanical garden with gazebos and fully lit dinosaurs. We wish some of our friends from Mississippi could have seen this!

T4G Part II

2008-05-03T20:32:00.005-05:00

I had only heard Dr. Mohler preach once before, and I was was very excited to hear his message at Together for the Gospel. I have to admit, that he was a bit over my head. There was so much information that I could not process it all fast enough! He was addressing pastors and seminary students for the most part, and it could be that they are used to hearing the terminology, whereas I had to stop and think about it more often. Nevertheless, God spoke through His servant! If I could give him my thoughts on the sermon, this is how it would go:

Thanks to Dr. Mohler for tackling the difficult topic of why so many hate the atonement. As he introduced the sermon, he turned to Acts 16:26 and also brought forth some questions to consider and answer throughout the message.

*Is the resisitance to the blood of Christ a new thing?

*Why do professing Christians hate it so? - I was struck by the story that you told and by how often I perceive that people (myself included) do not want to deal with the blood, the suffering, the death...I am committed now to study of the Cross and to a new daily focus on Christ's sacrifice.

Particularly helpful was the 3 grouping theories of atonement:

1. The Cross has its affect on humanity

2. The Cross has its affect on hostile spiritual forces.

3. The Cross has its effect in God who propitiated Himself.

Thanks also for the reminder that God demands and provides the penalty for my own sin.

(For a fuller understanding of his message, I recommend downloading the sermon and listening for yourself!, Also, check out Dr. Mohler's blog.)

SIDE NOTE: I want my friends at New Home to read Dr. Mohler's book Culture Shift when we come back this summer. I think you will all particularly relate to his ideas about an exit strategy from schools. I'll bring my copy home!

T4G

2008-04-29T18:29:00.004-05:00

My thoughts were all over the place during John Piper's sermon at Together for the Gospel. He gave me a lot to think about. To be honest, it was kind of surreal sitting under his teaching after having listened to so many of sermons and lectures online and reading his work. For the fullest benefit of his sermon, or any of the messages from the conference, visit the Sovereign Grace website.

As I looked over the notes that I took during Piper's message, I realized that I had been very moved by some of his lesser points. These were not the central issues of his sermon, but were still very good to hear and meditate upon. My thanks to Mr. Piper for these thought-provoking questions and ideas:

1. What creates radical Christian sacrifice?

2. Does prosperity actually influence non-believers? Remember that people can earn prosperity through other means than Christ making him just another ticket to success. When the show starts, you throw the ticket away.

3. The charge to women to become sages of the church. Many of our young women in church are without the mentors that they crave. We must take it upon ourselves to become theologically sound, educated, caring, sacrificing examples for the Christian women who will one day be in need of us.

If you asked my husband, he probably had much different thoughts about Piper's message. In his usual way, he preached a sound sermon and pointed all of us to the Supremecy of Christ, which is wonderful to think on. The thoughts above, were striking to me above and beyond this heart of the message.

T4G Part I

2008-04-21T20:41:00.005-05:00

Let me begin by thanking God for C.J. Mahaney and for his incredible example of humility and service to others. I know that this message on Phillipians 1:3-8 was addressed primarily to pastors, but it was very impactful for me, a pastor's wife and a Christian who, like any other, struggles with pride. As it began, he asked the question, "Is the distinctive of joy present in your life?" He challenged us to consider if our spouses or co-workers would describe us as joyful. I have to admit, that I do not think that joy has been a characteristic of mine lately. Mahaney reminded us that Paul, the most joyful of pastors, had unspeakable amounts of responsiblity, and challenged us to consider the three dominant characteristics of this man who served with such gladness.

1. Gratefulness - How powerful it was when this message reminded us that gratefulness is a response to God's saving activity on earth! Without this, we will be vulnerable to complaining, which is a serious sin. God is not indifferent to complaining, as Mahaney showed us in Numbers 11. This trait has pride as its root and reflects a lack of humility. I appreciate how simply he put it - "complaining is saying to God in heaven that you see no reason for this." This reminded me that God has ordained our small and large situations and I have been addressing the urge to complain in my own life with a new desire to cultivate gratefulness.

2. Faith for the Future - This message showed us how Paul found strength in the faithfulness of God. "Our confidence is not as strong in our comfort as Paul's was in prison." What a powerful statement! Thanks to C.J. Mahaney for reminding us that the difficulty in our lives can be found in ourselves, not in the work. It is so easy to think that we cannot do it, and we are right! He charged us to remember that our confidence is in the One who began a good work in us.

3. Affection for Others - This characteristic of Paul is not one that I had considered. The sermon showed us from scripture that affection permeated Paul's ministry, and that it was rooted in grace. As I have gone through this last week, I have been challenged by this sermon to contemplate the love of Christ for the people we serve and to remember that He obtained them with His blood.

With these points Mahaney concluded his sermon, and I was impressed by the structure and theological spine of the message. I am so thankful to have heard this sermon, and that through it the Lord has awakened a desire for humility in my life. As I pastor's wife, I realize how much work, prayer, and love goes into a sermon that you prepare for God's people. Rest assured that the Spirit has done His work with this message.

Reflections

2008-04-20T17:34:00.000-05:00

The Together for the Gospel Conference ended on Thursday. I am still gathering my thoughts and reflections as I prepare to post the notes on these sessions. I have come away with a lot to think about and I can truly say that this conference will mark a changing time in my life. I was challenged by C.J. Mahaney’s humility and joy, Mark Dever’s charge to keep the Gospel pure and simple, John Piper’s urging for women to become sages of the church, and so much more.
By God’s grace, these sermons and the books that we received at the conference have already started to change my mind and heart. Many, many times I have been challenged to stop complaining, to take confidence in God’s promises, to mortify the pride in my life, but I have not succeeded in these things. I was urged this week, by these men, to strive for holiness in a new way. I recognize more fully that it is only through humble dependence on God that any strides can be made to come closer to Him. But He has made this promise. “Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you.”
I am very overwhelmed by the experience and by how God used these men to address issues in my own life. I pray that it was the same for the 5,500 other people in attendance.
As I was preparing to relay my notes on this blog, I made the decision to post them in the form of a letter to each of the speakers. I am doing this for two reasons:
After each sermon of the conference, there was a panel discussion addressing questions, suggestions, and praise to God and the speaker. I became comfortable with this format and am using this blog to put in my thoughts as if I were part of it.
I think it will be easy to read, and may encourage anyone who reads the notes to download these or other sermons given by these gifted pastors.
Therefore, I will post each letter individually with my own thoughts and reflections on what I heard and what I hope to remember well from each session, including the panels. I hope that even in this obscure forum, God’s truth will continue to be clearly communicated.

Spring Break 2008

2008-04-09T14:26:00.003-05:00

We are in Mississippi this week! Ben is preaching in Mendenhall and working on his final big paper of the semester. We have enjoyed some beautiful weather here and it has been wonderful to see our family, friends, and church members again. It is hard to believe that babies can grow so fast!

When we return to Louisville, I will have just six weeks left in this school year, and Ben will have about 3 weeks until the end of his first semester in the doctoral program. He is going to wrap up classwork, preach once in Indiana, and prepare for doing his cousin's wedding in June.

I am planning to teach some Poe to my 10th graders. That should be an adventure!

Easter Cuties

2008-03-31T18:57:00.006-05:00

Here are some Easter pics of the cutest kids in Cajun Country. These are Ben's little cousins.

Well begun is half done - (a Poppins-ism)

2008-03-30T09:26:00.004-05:00

This weekend Ben is in Toledo to preach at a friend's church. The friend, Joe, just welcomed his second child and first son. He needed a weekend off, so Ben has trucked up to Toledo to fill in. I stayed behind to get some school work done and planned to do some shopping. Ben drove my car to Ohio, so I was going to use his, but it is leaking puddles of fluid, so I am stuck at home until Ben returns. I am too afraid to drive it because I don't want to get stuck somewhere.

In the meantime, I am amusing myself with some movies. I watched Mary Poppins and when it ended, I turned on the commentary and watched it again. Good movie with a ton of great quotes.

This afternoon, I am going to watch The Sound of Music. Only once. Julie Andrews can be very relaxing.

Something to look forward to...

2008-03-18T17:05:00.006-05:00

Remember this?

Well, in just four weeks Ben and I are going to get to go to another great conference!
Together for the Gospel is coming to Louisville! Woo hoo! We both have tickets and I have been saving up my days... I am going to get a sub and go hear some preachin'.

Get a load of this lineup:

Session I - Ligon Duncan

Session II - Thabiti Anyabwile

Session III - John MacArthur

Session IV - Mark Dever

Session V - R.C. Sproul

Session VI - Al Mohler

Session VII - John Piper

Session VIII - C.J. Mahaney

I will be posting notes from each session.

Peek-a-Boo

2008-03-16T15:28:00.002-05:00

This is William, the son of some of our friends at New Home Baptist Church.

We are excited that we will be able to worship with New Home again during Spring Break. Ben is going to preach three sermons for them.

I love this show...

2008-03-15T10:55:00.005-05:00

People should watch more BBC.

Blizzard '08 - Part 2

2008-03-08T13:31:00.007-06:00

Blizzard '08

2008-03-08T09:12:00.010-06:00

Is that the sun?

2008-03-03T20:17:00.004-06:00

The sun came out this weekend. It was beautiful. We had not seen it in so long that all of the light was kind of a shock. Since we came to Louisville, days have been gray and cold. Sunday was a wonderful gift from God with blue skies and mild weather that made everyone want to get outdoors.

Ben and I went to church on Sunday at Third Avenue with our new friends Ben and Cynthia. I forgot to mention in earlier blogs that every third person here is named Ben. We joke that it is the prophetic name for this decade. Just in our building there are three Bens and there are several others in class with my Ben.
On Sunday we also met Wes Pastor from NETS in Vermont. He will be speaking at the Seminary and at another couple of local churches. He was very interesting as he told about the challenges of church planting in New England. Ben and I are meeting with him on Tuesday to discuss more about planting churches. The NETS program of study and internship is an incredible model for preparing church planters. We have both been really impressed with what we have read about it, and hope to learn more from Mr. Pastor during our meeting.

My SWI class this term is about the history of the Southern Baptist Convention and it is wonderful. Dr. Wills and Mrs. Mohler have done an incredible job of educating the wives about our heritage as Baptists.

Teaching is still going really badly. I could list my many complaints against public education and the impossibility of this career, but instead I will say - FOUR WEEKS UNTIL SPRING BREAK!!!!!

No love for the white stuff...

2008-02-17T16:16:00.004-06:00

It snowed a ton here last week. Well, it was literally 5 inches but I am sure that just the snow in our parking lot weighed a ton. Here are some things the Christmas cards don't tell you about snow:

It gets in your eyes and up your nose when it is falling.

It is not always fluffly and powdery. It turns to slippery ice that is inches thick.

It gets all black and nasty after a few days.

It makes your car filthy.

A snowball hurts.

It makes it really hard to drive.

Despite what movies tell you , snow does not equal fun.

Congratulations Andrea!!!

2008-02-17T16:08:00.005-06:00

Ben's cousin got engaged! We are soooo happy for you, Andy!

Andrea and Wesley

We are also very excited that Andy has asked Ben to perform part of the ceremony. It will be so nice to see everyone again and not have to wait until Christmas. I love weddings! Yay!

What's Happening....

2008-01-31T09:56:00.001-06:00

This week marks one month that we have lived in Louisville. It is also my third week teaching at a huge-agantic urban high school. Ben has started class this week and we are both working tons. We start our day at 5:30. I go to work and then Ben prepares and reads for class. I get home at about 3:30. On Monday and Thursday evenings, I have a class. Every other evening, we eat dinner and then work until time to go to bed. I literally have not looked at the television in three weeks.
We are both hoping that things will slack off a little as time goes on. We have not had a chance to go to a single museum or sight. We have not even been very far from the seminary. Right now, we have to work a lot on Saturdays and we are still visiting new churches on Sundays. This weekend, we are going to visit Third Avenue. This church was started by some transplants from Mark Dever's church. He and I go waaaay back (to about three months ago.) Anyway, it sounds like a wonderful place and maybe it will be the one!
Meanwhile, I could seriously do with some warmer weather. Is it really still January???

Observations about Louisville

2008-01-21T09:16:00.001-06:00

1. It's cold. And no one cares if their coat matches their gloves or scarf. They just want to feel their faces again.

2. Bob Evans is not so bad.

3. People curse a lot.

4. Snow is not as pretty when you are driving in it at 5:30 in the morning.

5. Everyone is running. Where are they going? I do not know. They are running in the freezing cold and there are gyms everywhere, so I must assume that they are either insane or they have somewhere to go.

6. They love Chinese food. Seriously, there is a Chinese restaurant on every corner here.

7. People bowl a lot.

8. There are a lot of dessert cafes. Maybe that is why they are running.

9. The malls are flat and long instead of tall.

10. It is a nice city, but there is no place like home.

Happy 2008!

2008-01-02T16:04:00.000-06:00

I haven't blogged in so long! I need to apologize to all two of the people who read this blog. Sorry! I should be back on track now because after tomorrow, all of the hectic times will slow down.

TOMORROW IS MOVING DAY! We have the truck all packed up and we are headed out to Louisville at 5:30 A.M. This is really exciting for Ben and I and he really cannot wait to begin his doctoral work.

We are moving into a two bedroom apartment on the campus of Southern Seminary. I am planning to begin posting pics of the apartment and the moving-in process so our families can see how we are living.

We are getting ready to leave for my last church service at our precious New Home Baptist Church. The Lord truly provided a gift of love for us in that church. Ben has labored over The Word and has greatly enjoyed preaching and teaching the members there. I have fallen in love with the sweet families and especially the two new babies that have been born since our time there. It will be hard to say goodbye to them, but God continues to astound us with his mercy and all that he is able to do through these two flawed servants.

Prayer Requests:

Our friend Laurie Price continues to need prayer for her mother who is now undergoing chemotherapy.

Pray for the health and stamina of Bob and Peggy Ostenson.

A high school friend of mine, LeAnn Arnold lost her father on Christmas Day. She and her mother, sister, and brother need prayers during their time of grief.

So......I guess this is my last blog as a Mississippian. Louisville, here we come!

2007-12-17T15:18:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, I watched Amazing Grace, the movie based on the work of William Wilberforce. I really didn't think that I would like it, but it was very good. Movies about Christians have come a long way! There were several talented British actors in this movie, including Ioan Gruffudd, Albert Finney, and Rufus Sewell. I highly recommend this movie and I hope that in the future Wilberforce will get more recognition as a tireless advocate for the abolition of slavery.

Today, I have been making some Christmas cookies and candies. Ben's sisters are coming home later this week and I hope they come hungry! I made some these cute reindeer cookies and and these yummy, melty, rollo pretzels. To make the reindeer cookies, just make sugar or peanut butter cookies and break pretzels for the antlers. Then add red M&M noses and use chocolate chips or M&Ms for the eyes. The rollo pretzels are easy. Just melt the rollo on a pretzel and press a half pecan into the melty goodness. Try them out!

Hey! I Am Blogging Today!

2007-12-11T14:41:00.001-06:00

I have found myself with some free time today and decided to put some updates on my poor, neglected blog.

As it turns out, we will not be going to Louisville again before the move. I can hardly believe that it is only 3 weeks away! We are both still praying about what work to do, which church to join, and for a smooth transition into our new city.

The Christmas season will feel more real for us in about a week when Ben's sisters will come home. We have not seen them in a while and everyone is excited to spend this holiday with them.

Please remember these people in your prayers:

Bob and Peggy Ostenson - Rev. Ostenson is a dear, elderly man who is declining in health. His family is under a lot of stress because the home health nurse that they hired stole money from them. They need prayer for health and strength.

The mother of Laurie Price, one of our church members, was recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. Laurie and her husband have six children and all of them need strength and peace for the road ahead.

Mrs. Ellen Crosby, a member of my mother's church, is in poor health and was recently admitted to the hospital.

9 Days Until My Birthday!

2007-12-11T14:12:00.000-06:00

WOOHOO!!

Update

2007-12-06T10:50:00.000-06:00

I have not been very bloggerdly (is that a word?) lately because we have been sooo busy. We got my Mom moved into her new place and we are preparing for our move to Louisville. This includes planning the long-distance move, looking for ministry positions for Ben and a job for me, and preparing for Ben's first semester of doctoral work. All of this has made for a crazy couple of weeks.
Anyway, things are looking good and we are very excited about the holiday season and the new home in Louisville!
Last night, Ben preached on Exodus 32. He is nearly done with Exodus and is considering Jude for his next book.

Please remember to pray for the families of the 8 victims and the many people affected by yesterday's shooting in Omaha.

Local News

2007-12-04T13:56:00.000-06:00

This happened right here in Jackson and now is it making national news. This man owns a local antique shop. I heard him on the radio this morning and he sounded really nice. He is doing well, but the po po still have not caught the men who did this.

Wedding ring deflects bullet Dec. 3: JACKSON, Miss. - Donnie Register has a new reason to be thankful he's married — police say his wedding band deflected a bullet and probably saved his life.
Two men walked into Register's shop at The Antique Market on Saturday and asked to see a coin collection, police Sgt. Jeffery Scott said.
When Register retrieved the collection, one of the men pulled a gun and demanded money. A shot was fired as Register threw up his left hand, and his wedding ring deflected the bullet, police said.

That must be one nice ring. I bet the wife is glad she went the extra mile on that one.

Apparently, the ring was strong enough to split and deflect the bullet pieces into his ear, neck, and finger. On the radio this morning, the guy said that the doctors had to leave part of a bullet in his neck, but he will have full use of his fingers and make a full recovery.

Here is the video link from Good Morning America: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/250.1/popup/index.php?cl=5312541

UPDATE: They caught one of the guys and are planning to prosecute to the fullest extent. Also, they showed this guy's shot up finger on the local news. It was not nice for meal time.

Rudolph's Revenge

2007-11-28T13:19:00.000-06:00

Wednesday

2007-11-28T08:35:00.000-06:00

Last night, my aunt came up to visit and brought us some gifts. She gave me some yummy smelling bath products and Ben got some fire-hot habanero salsa. He was awake all night with a burning sensation in his chest!

Tonight, Ben is teaching Hebrew and preaching in Exodus.

I found out yesterday that we will need to go to Louisville once more and do an interview. In Spanish. I have never had to do that before, and interviews are always nervous anyway, so I hope that I do well.

We also got news that our housing is ready Louisville, so we can move in anytime. That is really good news for us and we are happy that we got the place that we wanted. It has two bedrooms and study making it very convenient for Ben's work and research. We are planning to move in the week after Christmas because the teaching semester begins for me on January 7th.

In exciting family news, we found out this week that Ben's cousin and his wife are expecting their second child next summer. This is a wonderful blessing for their family, and with a daughter that is sooo cute, we are sure that the new addition will be adorable.

This is their little Madelyn:

'Tis the Season!

2007-11-26T10:18:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We went to Monroe and visited Grandmother and Pappy (Rogers). Then we had lunch with Meemaw (Hickman), Ben's parents, and Wade and Jackie. At dinnertime, we came back home and ate tamales with my mom.
We ended the day by watching Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. It is such a fun holiday movie with big musical numbers and no representation of actual human emotions. Just warm and fuzzies. Watching Holiday Inn is a new Thanksgiving tradition for us. If you like holiday movies, I highly recommend it.
The ABC television network offers 25 days of sometimes crappy, often tearjerking, holiday movies, so that is a good place to start getting into a festive spirit.

Here are some pretty holiday pictures to get you in the mood:

Have you heard of this?

2007-11-26T09:08:00.001-06:00

I saw this report on CNN about Freegans who, although they have money, choose to forage for their meals.

According to Wikipedia:

Freeganism is an anti-consumerism lifestyle. The lifestyle involves salvaging discarded, unspoiled food from supermarket dumpsters that have passed their expiration date, but are still edible and nutritious. They salvage the food not because they are poor or homeless, but as a political statement.

They believe that they can find just about anything and everything in the trash. Soooo, they go to the trash bins at restaurants, corporations and grocery stores and pull out what they want. They not only find food, but also pet products, home furnishings, etc.

As a further sign of my obsessive cleaning, I was watching this and just hoping that they clean up the trash after they go through it.

While I certainly object to waste and hyper-materialism, I am not here yet. And, it is freaking me out. I can't stop thinking about these people digging through the trash and what else might be in there. These are pics of actual freegans digging through dumpsters:

And here is Ben posing near the trash that was all over the street in Rome. I have a feeling there are not a lot of Freegans in Italy:

Great Commercial

2007-11-21T15:21:00.001-06:00

This commercial made me laugh out loud and that ain't easy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUv_FAL2jik

Thank you, Jennie O. You have my business.

Conversation on Highway 80

2007-11-21T14:57:00.001-06:00

Ben: What is that in the road?
Me: I don't know. Looks like a trash bag.
Ben: I can't go around it.
Me: Oh no!
****SMASH*DING*DING*CLATTER****
Me: What was that?
Ben(laughing hysterically): a trash bag full of aluminun cans *gasp* (continued laughter)
Me: Look, those people are pulled over. They lost that bag out of their trunk. They probably spent all morning collecting cans for extra money and now they are all over the highway.
Ben: That was hilarious! *gasp*laughter* You have to blog about this.

Today, I am thankful for a husband who is easily amused and loves to laugh.

Lifetime Movie = Thankfulness

2007-11-20T11:40:00.000-06:00

I am not usually a fan of the Lifetime movie. I do watch a lot of re-runs on that channel, but the "Moment of Truth" movies are not exactly Oscar caliber. Today, I got lazy and did not feel like looking for the remote.

This movie came on called Shattered Hearts - I know what you are thinking - that title could represent any number of Lifetime plots. But this particular movie was about a high school couple and their families. The boy is diagnosed with cancer and he and girlfriend run away together. There is this one scene when it is Christmas and he is sitting in his little hospital bed with his little bald head and he is crying and apologizing because he had been feeling sorry for himself. The website says that this is based on a true story. I don't know about that, and wouldn't actually recommend the movie, but I am thankful that I watched it.

You see, just this morning, I opened another email about a family needing prayer. A young wife, six months pregnant is living on one failing kidney. Yesterday, we got an update on the 21 year old son of a friend. They are struggling to deal with his chemotherapy and praying for healing. And I've been complaining about crowded stores, a messy house and long drives.

So, today I am encouraging myself and you to stand in that 45 minute line at Wal-Mart and be thankful that you can stand. And when you are going nuts cleaning up after Thanksgiving this Thursday, thank God for each healthy appetite as you wash those plates. Rest and be thankful and pray for those hurting, sick, and grieving.

Does Anyone Remember Jem?

2007-11-19T14:09:00.000-06:00

That Smurf pic from the previous post reminded me of my all-time favorite Saturday morning cartoon. I used to love Jem. Remember her? She was Jerrica until she pressed her fabulous earring and then she became JEM! - Super Rock Star. As the theme song said, she was truly outrageous. And better than Barbie because she was soooo mysterious and she had a rock band.

Anyway, I have good memories of watching Jem , so I decided to google and see if it still comes on. Guess what I found?

There is a whole world of Jem-lovers out there and it is a little bit scary. There is one site called "The Cult of Jem."

People are continuing the story of Jem by writing their own "episodes."

You can even upload all of the shows and the songs that they sang! And I kind of want to!

If you are a Jem-lover, check out this site:

http://www.jemunlimited.com/

Only 3 Days Until Thanksgiving....

2007-11-19T13:55:00.000-06:00

and today I am remembering the lyrics of one of my favorite songs by Caedmon's Call:

I'm so thankful that I'm incapable
Of doing any good on my own
It's by grace I have been saved
Though faith that's not my own
It is the gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast

I am thankful for this, because I don't think my works would be getting me very far these days....All of these moving plans and uncertainty and crowded stores have made me pretty grouchy. Remember him? -->

So, today I am thankful for God's free grace and for my sweet husband and family who love me even when I'm grouchy.

Friday

2007-11-16T16:54:00.000-06:00

I have been running errands like a crazy woman today. I have been in nearly every city in the metro area for something and I am tired!
Yesterday, I got a call about a possible position at a fantastic arts and performance school in Louisville. This school is the #5 producer of National Merit Scholars in the country. It is a great opportunity, but they may need me as early as next month. This would mean that I have to go to Louisville and live in a hotel until Christmas holidays. Ben would have to stay here and continue his preaching until early January.

So, today I have been going superspeed to get my Kentucky license paperwork completed. They have been very nice and we are planning to have a phone interview soon. Please pray for these new developments and for the outcome.

And...for those wondering about Ben's acorn comment on the previous post.....

The other day the wind started blowing like crazy and I was hearing these huge banging sounds on the roof and cars. I thought it was hailing.

So, I went outside and stood there. No hail. No rain. Nothing.

Just then, a huge oak nugget (this thing was too big to be called an acorn) hit me on top of my head.

Ben was standing in the doorway and saw the whole thing. He thought it was hilarious because the oak nugget bounced off my head about 6 feet into the air.

Now, he talks about that all the time. I know... its not that funny, but he got a real kick out of it.

Have a great weekend!

What Month Is This?

2007-11-15T08:42:00.000-06:00

Hum the tune to "What Child Is This?" when you read that title.

Seriously, have we just skipped Thanksgiving and gone straight to Christmas this year? My street is aglow with garish flashing lights, inflatable santas, and giant candy canes. There are no more pumpkins and scarecrows and sparkly fall leaves. All of the stores are packed with ornaments, wreaths, and shrink-wrapped gift sets.

With all of this hype, I am afraid to go to Target or Walmart. The crowds could be ugly.

I am doing a lot of my shopping online this year. There are lots of great deals out there. Check these out:

www.eyeslipsface.com/ - This one is great for stocking stuffers.

www.thecandleshop.net/ - Everyone loves candles.

www.buy.com/ - Get anything (except clothes and shoes) here.

www.overstock.com/ - Good deals plus $1 shipping!

www.findgifts.com/ - This site gives suggestions for the people on your list.

My advice is to shop online, but if you are going to the stores, you have my respect. I have to return something to the mall today, so wish me luck.

Ode to a Blonde Friend

2007-11-13T15:12:00.000-06:00

So, I went shopping with my friend, Angie today. In honor of the fun we had today, I thought I would share a story from our high school days. Back then, Angie and I worked together at a pre-digital photo shop. We used to leave work in the afternoons and go to get something to eat. One day, we decided to go to McDonald's. As we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed a sign on their board that read: #5 EVM - $2.99 - this is code for Number 5 Extra Value Meal

I turn to Angie and say, "What do you think about that deal?"

Angie says, "I don't know what it is, but you get five of 'em for $2.99!"

Love her!

This is kind of eerie....

2007-11-13T15:03:00.000-06:00

Ten years have passed and he hasn't changed much. Every time I turn on Court TV, I feel like I'm in the ninth grade again. Wasn't this whole thing about sports memorabilia? There are gloves in lots of sports. Do you think he will try on some gloves this time?

Only The Nose Knows

2007-11-13T07:53:00.000-06:00

Take a trip back in time with me. Back, back, back about ten years ago. A talented young baseball player on the #1 team in the state is playing in a game against the #2 team. He is playing first base when the catcher throws and hits him in the nose. Holding his bloody, broken nose in his gloved hand, the heroic first baseman retrieves the ball and keeps the runner from scoring.

Now, fast forward to present day. The young baseball player is all grown up and married. The consequences of that badly broken nose are still with him. After three surgeries, his nose is a bit crooked. He has a loss of the sense of smell. He snores. Loudly.

You may have guessed, that I am the wife of this stupendous athlete. I have bought the Breathe Right strips, I have poked him and rolled him over, and I have even resorted to sleeping with pillows on top of my head. The snoring continues unabated. Take a peek into this conversation, which took place just last night:

Him: Snooooooooreeee

Me: Sweetie, *nudge* you're snoring.

Him: SnOOOOOOOOOre

Me: Dear, *push push* I can't sleep with you snoring so loudly.

Him: phmmm

Me: Ben, *Shove* wake up. You are snoring and I am pretty sure the cops are gonna come and ask me to kill the bear that we are keeping alive in our bedroom!

Him: SNNNNNooooooore

Me: BEN! *Push Nudge Shove*

Him: What??!

Me: I am gonna go sleep in the guest room.

Him: Why?

Me: You are snoring like a chainsaw.

Him: No. I will go sleep in there. You stay here.

Me: Don't do that, you are already sleeping well and I am up.

Him: SNNOOOOOOOOreeeeeeee

I could still hear him across the hall, through the closed door, with a pillow on my head. Ben's heroic baseball moment all those years ago has turned into the thorn in my side. (Thanks, dude who hit my hubby in the face with a ball.) Sooo....anyone know how to cure snoring?

I Do NOT Heart Mondays

2007-11-12T10:32:00.000-06:00

I had a pretty good weekend, however Monday is not my best day.
It is so hard to wake up when you know the entire week is ahead of you and there is lots of laundry to do. Right now, I look like this ---->

I Heart Fridays

2007-11-09T10:03:00.000-06:00

Friday always feels fun. Even though I work at home and keep a strange schedule, I feel like there is something exciting about Friday. One of my favorite things to do on Friday is go to the movies. So, in the spirit of movie-loving Fridays, I am listing and linking to some movies that I am looking forward to.

August Rush: This one might be a cryer. Synopsis from Yahoo: Two musicians shared a night a dozen years ago that produced a son who shares their talent -- and then some. The young boy grows up an orphan, but feels connected to this mother and father he's never known through the music inside him. Now twelve years old, the boy goes to New York to find his parents. There his prodigious talent catches the eye of Wizard, a street musician who takes the boy under his wing. Meanwhile, the boy's father feels called back to his musical roots in New York, while the boy's mother enlists the help of a devoted social worker to find her son. Can their common love for music bring them back together?

Mr. Majorium's Wonder Emporium: I LOVE fantasty movies at the Holidays! Synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is the strangest, most fantastic, most wonderful toy store in the world. In fact, it's a magic toy store and everything in it comes to life – including the store itself. The Emporium only asks one thing of its customers; you must believe it to see it. "

Enchanted: Such a fun idea to bring an animated fairy tale into the real world! Synopis from IMDB: Classic Disney fairytale collides with modern-day New York City in a story about a fairytale princess from the past who is thrust into present-day by an evil queen. Soon after her arrival, Princess Giselle begins to change her views on life and love after meeting a handsome lawyer. Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?

National Treasure 2: Call me a nerd, but I loved the first National Treasure and I am psyched about the sequel. Synopis from IMBD: Treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates looks to discover the truth behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by uncovering the mystery within the 18 pages missing from assassin John Wilkes Booth's diary.
Those are some fun movie recommendations. Maybe it will give you something to look forward to on a Friday! If you want ratings and information on kid-friendly movies, check out Christian Spotlight They can save you from shelling out money for something that you really don't want to see.

UPDATE: We saw August Rush. I am sorry to say that is was not very good. Robin Williams character was just creepy. We also saw Enchanted and even Ben LOVED it! Such an entertaining concept for a movie and beautifully acted.

Conference Day 3

2007-11-08T13:27:00.000-06:00

Today was the final installment of the John Reed Miller Lecture Series at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson. We are so happy that Dr. Mark Dever came to share his messages on preaching. It has been a blessing and a challenge to us.

The morning began with a lovely Q & A session at breakfast. Dr. Dever was able to answer questions from some of the local pastors. ( He didn't sit at our table, but he was closeby and he did give Ben his email address. We are old friends now, so we will probably catch a movie or eat Chinese food or something when he is in Louisville. )

Anyway, the topic of today's lecture was "The Art of Preaching." Some important notes follow.The information discussed was mostly for the benefit of those preparing sermons, but there are insights for listeners, parents, Bible teachers, and church members here.

*Familiarize yourself with the Biblical text before consulting commentaries. This means you should think about the text and pray over it - start with the original language if you can. Consult different translations and come to understand the text yourself. Then, create an exigetical outline, followed by a homiletical outline - at this point, it is safe to consult commentaries.

*Make your sermon more than Sunday morning. (This applies to listeners, too!) Some suggestions: Find a Christian who will read the passage and offer conversations, questions, prayer, Read the text during your daily devotionals, Talk about the sermon afterwards, Review the sermon with others.

*Introductions of sermons are often underused. Use this opportunity to inform the congregation on why this text specifically matters to them, and to show the non-Christian that you intend to engage with them.

*Illustrations in sermons are often abused. This should illustrate, not obscure the scripture. Use extreme caution with personal illustrations - you do not want to become the main attractions/personality of the church.

*Density of sermons is debated. It is good to challenge the listeners with new vocabulary, demanding ideas, etc. What about kids? Blessing the parents blesses the kids! Preach sermons for adults - the message should be as serious and weighty as life itself.

*Tone of sermons should reflect that we live in a fallen world. Aspects of tone: biblical, humble, clear, sober & serious, and joyfully confident.

*Conclusions should not draw attention to the speaker, but leave the hearer with the cross to consider. Quietly back away and leave them with the weighty truth. Avoid casual announcements and light songs after conclusions. Perhaps close with a moment of silence allowing the congregation to gather their thoughts.

* The Privilege of preaching is that this is the most urgent need of the church and the world. The Peril is to take encouragement of your own relationship with God from the success of your ministry. God never saved anyone for being a preacher.

It was so refreshing to experience this conference and to be around these preachers, young and old, as they seek to serve the Lord better by preaching His word faithfully. If anyone is interested in hearing more, you may want to attend Together For the Gospel. This is an incredibly popular conference event held each year. In 2008, it will be in Louisville, KY!

Not to drop names or anything, but our totally cool friend Mark Dever is a speaker. He, along with John Piper, Al Mohler, Ligon Duncan (from Jacktown!), John Piper, C.J. Mahaney, R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, and Thabiti Anyabwile will be speaking at T4G 2008.

Conference Day 2

2007-11-07T15:21:00.000-06:00

Today, there was another lecture in the John Reed Miller Series at RTS. Dr. Dever spoke on "The Use of Preaching in Edifying the Church and Evangelizing the Lost."
Before I offer some of the notes that I took during the series, I must take this opportunity to freak out. I totally shook Mark Dever's hand today. And he kept calling me "Katie," but after a little while, he got it right and now we have a joke. I have a joke with Mark Dever. We told him that we listen to his sermons on cd and he said that we should email him if we ever have questions. He is really nice and offered some suggestions to Ben about his Bunyan work and gave him a name of someone to connect with at Southern.

Okay, now for the notes from today:

*How much of preaching is reinforcing the existing culture? Are preachers thinking of the congregation as consumers. The term "seekers" implies something like this. The focus of sermons on "you and your needs" can produce a comfortable, suburban faith.

*Preachers do not need to look to the culture for methods and acceptable materials for preaching.

* Preaching is meant to inform our minds, instruct our consciences, and warm our hearts. Sin must be considered. Warning, admonition, condemning sin is appropriate in sermons.

* Why Expository preaching? What will most edify the church is preaching that exposes God's word. Every part of scripture contributes to the church. It is good to preach the truth and even better to preach the truth in a way that enables hearers to see where it comes from.

*Applying God's word does not undermine the Gospel message. Application teaches humility, recovery, conviction, etc.

*Three different kinds of application: ignorance, doubt, and sin. Inform the ignorant with the truth, urge the doubting to believe, and exhort those struggling with sin for a joyful obedience of God.

*Remembering that there are non-Christians around can clarify the preacher and remind him of God's grace. Addressing unbelievers in the congregation provides a model for Christians as they speak to non-Christians in their lives.

Tomorrow, there is a breakfast in Mark Dever's honor, and then the final lecture on "The Art of Preaching." Since we're all cool now, he will probably want to sit at our breakfast table.

Wednesday

2007-11-07T08:21:00.000-06:00

It is really cold here today. The temp right now is 34 degrees and it is supposed to rise to 60 as a high today. A freeze warning is in effect for Jackson tonight.
Today is a really busy day for us. We are attending the second day of the John Reed Miller Conference. Then, I have to go and get my teaching license so that I can get reciprocity in Kentucky as a licensed teacher. Finally, Ben is preaching tonight in Mendenhall on Exodus 26. Last night, we attended the Life Action Revival again, and it was very good. They are a gifted group of people and have been a blessing to the church that they have visited this week.
The news says that it has been snowing in New York. Keep warm, Laura!

Conference Day 1

2007-11-06T13:52:00.001-06:00

Wow! Ben and I have just returned from the John Reed Miller Conference. It was really a terrific encouragement and challenge for pastoring. Mark Dever is a commanding speaker and offered some intriguing insights and observations on preaching. Here are a few of my notes and some things to think about from his lecture today:

*Is a "good" church one without conflict? This wasn't actually a central idea, but it resounded with me. It is well-known that Mark Dever has a gift for marrying God's truth and evangelism. It is such a need in Christians for us to find a way to stand firm in our truth while being evangelistic. We must then know how to graciously handle any conflict that may come.

*Are many preachers using humor in the pulpit in hope of making the world accept our Christian message? The laughter of a congregation is not the measure of connectivity. Humor may emphasize a lightness of our attitude toward serious things.

*The monologue of the sermon is a powerful and accurate symbol of our spiritual state. Hearing His word is God's gift of Grace to us - we do not deserve it and we do not contribute to it. God creates and instructs His people through His word.

*The sermon is central in significance - it should shape the worship service. A congregation must learn to listen to sermons and come to church expecting to work, be instructed and apply God's word through the sermon.

* The center of every sermon should be the Gospel.

Ben got to meet Mark Dever briefly and he was a little bit starstruck. He listens to him on his ipod all the time and it was kind of surreal for him to actually meet the man.
Although this conference is geared toward pastors, it offered helpful insights for any church member. These are the things we need to consider when looking for a church or a pastor. Also, we can begin by teaching ourselves how to come to church in expectance of the sermon. It is a gift of God to hear His word. I know from my husband's schedule that it takes work to create a sermon. He labors over the word and prays for it and prepares his heart. We listeners should do the same.

Monday, Monday

2007-11-05T09:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we had a wonderful Sabbath day. Ben preached a great sermon in Exodus and afterward, we enjoyed lunch with the Price Family at their home. They are such warm and pleasant people. They have six children, ages 1 month to 14 years. Each member of the family is a joy to know.
This weekend, we informed our church family of our definite plans to move in January. Although Ben was only preaching interim there, he had been asked to stay. We have come love New Home and our sweet friends there, but we feel that earning a Ph.D at Southern will be an incredible opportunity for God to use Ben. We have prayed about this and feel confident in the decision, but it will still be hard to leave the families that we have come to love so much.

Last night, we visited a local church which was hosting a Life Action Revival Team. I was not sure if this would be good, because some experiences that I have had with travelling revival teams have not been positive. At times, they are hyper-emotional, or their focus is primarily fundraising and any resulting impact on the local body are temporary at best. I was really encouraged by the Life Action Team. I think that their work is educational and encouraging for the average believer. Check them out online and see if they will be near you soon. This group is also sponsoring 12 Pray, which encourages believers to pray at noon each day for a spiritual awakening and rebuilding of our churches.

This week, at Reformed Seminary in Jackson, the John Reed Miller Conference Series will take place. The featured speaker is Dr. Mark Dever, the senior pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington and president of 9Marks. If you are in Jackson, this conference is worth taking your lunch hour for. The event takes place Nov 6-8, from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM. Ben and I are planning to go, so I will write some info here for those of you who are not able to make it.

A Case for the Blahs

2007-11-02T13:52:00.001-05:00

Maybe I do know why I am down. I have always been such a mushy-heart and their have been some really depressing developments in my area lately.
This morning there was news of a terrible car accident that claimed the lives of two local teens, a brother and sister. It is so very sad. I can only imagine the grief of this family and their friends and schoolmates. I don't even know them, but I just want to hug them. Having lost two siblings myself, I am particularly saddened for the one remaining child in this family. This loss will shape the rest of his life. I am praying for their pastor today - that God will give him some words of encouragement for this stricken family. It is possible that the day will come when Ben and I have such a tragedy in a church, and I pray now that if that time comes, He will help us to minister to the grieving.
Also, this week has not been a good one for the ministry around here. I found out this week that a local church that we love and respect had to let their youth minister go because of an extra-marital affair with another staff member. He has two little kids. It is so discouraging for ministers and their families when something like this happens. The guy is probably a believer and just messed up in a really big way. But, because of his actions there are people who will shake their heads and say, "These things always happen in churches." Now, I am not really pro-youth ministry, but I am pro-church - not just because my husband happens to be a minister, but because I love my God and the church as His people. I had really wonderful experiences with church people. Unfortunately, I have had bad ones, too. We have to remember that as long as the church is on earth, it will still be made up of regular, sinful people. As Ben always says, "The best of men are men at best."

Pray for those who are grieving. Death, loss, and disappointment are parts of life, so there is always someone who needs prayer and comforting.

Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

Not So Deep Thoughts

2007-11-02T13:21:00.000-05:00

Hello and Happy Friday or whatever. Today, I have the blahs for no good reason.
<------I look like this. We are thinking about going to see Bee Movie tonight. Maybe that will cheer me up. Or maybe something good will come in the mail. I am not expecting anything, but you never know. Mail always cheers me up. Between the mail and Jerry Seinfeld, I should snap out of it by tomorrow.

Anywho, Ben preached on John Huss Wednesday. Huss was a very interesting proto-reformer. He came under the influences of John Wyclif and was eventually martyred for his preaching and writing against abuses of the clergy. The Roman Catholic Church considered his teachings heretical and Hus was excommunicated in 1411, condemned by the Council of Constance, and burned at the stake in 1415. An interesting tidbit about Hus: Amongst Hus' last words are allegedly that, "in 100 years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed." Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses of Contention to a church door in Wittenburg 102 years later. Just reflecting on his life and sacrifices are making me feel that I should really be in a lot better mood. Because of Huss and the men that followed him, I can read the Bible in my own language and attend a Protestant church, and I don't believe I have to earn merit with God. I feel better already!

Happy Halloween and Happy Reformation Day

2007-10-31T09:16:00.000-05:00

Woo Hoo! I think this time of the year is lots of fun. I love to see the little kids dressed up in their costumes. In the past, we have enjoyed giving candy to the neighborhood kids. This year, Halloween falls on Wednesday, and we will be at church.
Ben has prepared a sermon in honor of Reformation Day, which is also celebrated on October 31st. It all started when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenburg Church door. The theses were published in October 1517, beginning the Church Reformation. The Reformation is the origin of today's Protestant Churches. I think it would be fun to have a combo Halloween and Reformation Day party where everyone dressed as a Reformer.
<----- Me as John Calvin!
I know that not everyone is pro-Halloween and I totally respect that, but I have really fond memories of Halloween. My Mom worked a lot of evenings, so when she got off for Halloween, it was really special. She would dress my little sister and I up in some creative costume and we would trick-or-treat. Then, my sister and I would stay up late looking through our stash. Those memories of my sister are some of my favorite and they always make me laugh. She was a candy-fiend!

So.......I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween. If you're not a Halloween person, then maybe you can just go out and eat dinner with your family to avoid the trick-or-treaters. :)

The Road Crew

2007-10-30T12:43:00.000-05:00

The city has been re-paving our road for two months! I do not understand the road crews. Granted, the street needed some maintenance - it was beginning to look more like a skateboarding ramp than a residential street, but the methods of this repair are puzzling. They have literally paved our road and then dug it up twice. I am not exaggerating. Maybe there is some benefit to this, but I cannot see it.
Each morning, I am awakened to the sound of the trucks backing up *beep*beep*beep* Since I work at home, the constant beeping and loud dump trucks are driving me nuts.
And just when they dig a nice big whole, they stick a barrel on it and disappear for five days. They block up the driveway and if you leave the house, you may not be able to get back onto your street when you return. Who knew it takes 5 dumptrucks and a steamroller to re-pave 30 yards?
I try to smile at the workermen when I see them. I know that they are just doing their jobs, but after two months my smile is strained. And all of our shoes have black gunk on the bottom of them from the tar debris that is everywhere!
I know there is nothing that can be done about this, but I just needed to vent. I won't complain again for at least a week.

Ewww....

2007-10-29T11:42:00.000-05:00

I have pink eye. I think it is the allergic kind. I found this information online:

Pinkeye also can be caused by allergies. These cases tend to happen more frequently among those who also have other allergic conditions, such as hay fever. Some triggers of allergic conjunctivitis include grass, ragweed pollen, animal dander, and dust mites.
Sometimes a substance in the environment can irritate the eyes and cause pinkeye; for example, chemicals (such as chlorine and soaps) and air pollutants (such as smoke and fumes).

I don't care for it. My eye is all red and yucky and I can't wear mascara. This is sort of what my eye looks like, except my eyes are brown:

Gross.

UPDATE: My eye is tons better today. (Wednesday) This time has been much better than the last time I had pink eye. It took more than a week to heal. I have been getting a lot of fresh air and I really think that helps!

Stranger Than Fiction

2007-10-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

If you know me, then I have probably mentioned to you that I LOVE the movie "Stranger Than Fiction" starring Will Ferrell, Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson. The characters are lovable and bizarre, the filming is poignant, and the philosphy is not sappy, but moving. I love that they never explain why Maggie Gyllenhaal's character knows the words to that obsure Monkees song. I watched the movie again last weekend, and I love it more. I have discovered that people seem to either love or hate this movie. I love it. Ben loves it. My Mom hates it.
The pic to the right is a still following this conversation:
Dr. Hilbert: Harold, you don't control your own destiny
Harold Answers: I know........
Harold is beginning to realize, that his death is inevitable. This conversation follows:
Dr. Jules Hilbert : Hell Harold, you could just eat nothing but pancakes if you wanted.
Harold Crick: What is wrong with you? Hey, I don’t want to eat nothing but pancakes, I want to live! I mean, who in their right mind, in a choice between pancakes and living, chooses pancakes?
Dr. Jules Hilbert: Harold, if you pause to think, you’d realize that, that answer is inextricably contingent upon the type of life being led and, of course, the quality of the pancakes.
If you haven't seen the movie, or if you were one of those who hated it, please, please give it another try! I personally struggle with getting bogged down in routine and it was helpful this past weekend to watch this movie while remembering that there is nothing too small to be thankful for. I think the final narration puts it nicely:
"As Harold took a bite of Bavarian sugar cookie, he finally felt as if everything was going to be ok. Sometimes, when we lose ourselves in fear and despair, in routine and constancy, in hopelessness and tragedy, we can thank God for Bavarian sugar cookies. And, fortunately, when there aren’t any cookies, we can still find reassurance in a familiar hand on our skin, or a kind and loving gesture, or subtle encouragement, or a loving embrace, or an offer of comfort, not to mention hospital gurneys and nose plugs, an uneaten Danish, soft-spoken secrets, and Fender Stratocasters, and maybe the occasional piece of fiction. And we must remember that all these things, the nuances, the anomalies, the subtleties, which we assume only accessorize our days, are effective for a much larger and nobler cause. They are here to save our lives. I know the idea seems strange, but I also know that it just so happens to be true. And, so it was, a wristwatch saved Harold Crick."

Since you asked....

2007-10-24T11:19:00.000-05:00

We are all smiles today! Ben and I are so excited about his future Ph.D work at Southern Seminary. We have been reading up on Louisville and we can't wait to get started in January. I am so proud of Ben for all of his hard work during the past year.

We were able to pick up my car yesterday after being in the shop for a week. That uninsured motorist cost us a $200 deductible, but I guess it could have been worse! Ben taught Hebrew and preached on Exodus 25:1-9 last night and both went really well. We are both enjoying the cold weather, although it probably won't last. It was only 45 degrees this morning and it is fun to wear winter clothes again. Have a great day everyone!

California

2007-10-23T14:46:00.000-05:00

Neither Ben nor I have any friends or family in California, but I am just broken-hearted for all of the people who have lost their homes and had their lives put on hold in order to flee from the terrible fires. Among those evacuating are elderly, ill, and handicapped persons, mothers with babies and young children, and so many other special situations.
I remember how strange it was living here during the days that followed Hurricane Katrina. A natural disaster can make us feel so helpless, even though we know that God moves all things, whether wind or water, for His glory. Please pray for the safety of the firefighters, residents of California, evacuees, and the rebuilding efforts that will follow this disaster.

Video of Ben's Ordination

2007-10-20T16:21:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Ben's Uncle Butch and Aunt Judy for sending this video and the pictures of Ben's ordination. We are so happy that they got some pictures because our camera would not work!

This clip features Butch and Pappy praying for Ben. All of the ordained men in the church participated in the charge by laying hands on Ben at the end of the service.

Pics of Ben's Ordination

2007-10-20T16:11:00.000-05:00

Ben and P.J.

Ben's parents, Ryan and Mary, playing the "Ordination Medley."

Sanctuary at FBC Clinton

Ben and his Meemaw

Weekend

2007-10-19T08:55:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe another week has come and gone! This weekend, we are planning to rest, go to church, and be lazy. We might take in the new George Clooney movie, Michael Clayton. It has gotten great reviews. Has anyone seen it?

In my blog reading, I found this great video. If you are ever having a fat day, it is sure to cheer you up.

News

2007-10-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

Ben has been accepted into the doctoral program at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary! The application process has been long (we started in April!) and the exam process (long story) was very stressful for Ben, so we are very excited to have this outcome. Ben has felt that he is called to preach and teach and this degree will help him to do both. Please pray for us as we seek God's will for our future and for our precious friends at New Home Baptist Church.
This opportunity could mean a move to Louisville, KY in January. This is an exciting prospect for us, and it could mean some Kentucky Wildcats basketball games in the near future. They have always been a favorite of mine! In other news, we are hoping to have our car repaired after having a minor collision just a few weeks ago. The insurance reps say that as soon as they can confirm that the other motorist was uninsured, then we can pay our deductible and have the rest of the repairs covered.

Ben is working on sermons and digging in to complete his directed study on John Bunyan. He thinks that he may have a draft of the paper by the end of the month. If you are a Bunyan fan, and interested in his influences and pastoral theology, you may enjoy reading it when he is done.

Every blog that I have looked at lately has been covered with pictures of babies. So, I am posting some pictures of the youngest members of the Rogers/Joiner families. Below are our cousins Dylan & Colin and Madelyn & Keegan. Enjoy!

Believers in Business

2007-10-16T08:56:00.000-05:00

Oral Robert University has recently been in the news because a lawsuit filed against the university. The suit involves allegations against Oral Roberts, his son, Richard Roberts, and their families. The accusations include nepotism, illegal involvement in a local political campaign and lavish spending. If you are not familiar with these allegations, this link outlines the case.

Ben and I watched Richard Roberts and his wife, Lyndsey, on Larry King Live last week. Although my own theology and worship style differs greatly from most students and professors at ORU, I found myself rooting for Mr. & Mrs. Roberts. I really hoped that they could easily explain the situation. I know that Christian leaders are often a target, and I was hoping that this was the case. Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the interview.

Today, I don't want to speculate on the validity of the Oral Roberts case. I expect that the truth will find its way to the surface. Another aspect of this sitution has attracted my attention. Many Christians are outraged about the allegations and are vocalizing their objections on the radio, television, and even in our local churches. While most of these concerns are valid, I hope that we are holding ourselves to the same standards that we expect of the Roberts Family. I have worked in several small businesses which are owned by Christian men and women. Unfortunately, in every single case, I saw disgustingly immoral business practices and behavior that no one would bring to church on Sunday. Even when working in a Christian school, I was shocked to find that you are expected to leave your convictions at the door. The pressure to get ahead, be the best, and make the most money has gotten into every industry.

Christians, each of us is called to work as if we work for the Lord. Whether we are poets or preachers, believers should be held to the same standards every day of the week. Ben and I both have friends who are planning to go into business for themselves. Our prayer and encouragement for those of you who aspire to this is that you will remember that you carry the name of Christ into every workday, meeting, business lunch, contract negotiation, etc. Let his presence and the guidance of Scripture direct your practices. Expect from yourselves the same integrity that you expect from your pastors, deacons, and Sunday school teachers.

This line of thinking will pervade every aspect of our work: relationships, how we spend our time on the clock, our attitude at work, and our expectations. We can trust Christ to provide the level of success and the amount of income we have. After all, our working relationships, just like every aspect of our lives, are for His glory and our good.

Ben can officially officiate!

2007-10-15T14:39:00.000-05:00

Ben was ordained last night at FBC Clinton and it was a moving ceremony. Ben's parents played a wonderful medley of hymns, Pappy offered a special prayer for Ben, and the service concluded with all of the ordained men laying hands on Ben. It was especially nice to have Pappy and Butch as a part of this.
We want to thank those of you who traveled to attend the ordination. It was great to have Grandmother and Pappy, Butch and Judy, Meemaw, Mike and Clarissa Davis, Jeff, Carley, and Mr. Parrot, Rebekah Olander, Viola and Naomi, Ben's former Sunday School students, and our friends from New Home Baptist Church as guests. I hope that everyone enjoyed the service.
After the ordination, Ben's parents hosted a dinner at their home for family. It was really a wonderful time of fellowship and we are so thankful to them for opening their home and hosting this meal to celebrate the occasion.
Because our digital camera went *kaput* last night, I only have one picture, but Butch took several and has agreed to email them to us. So, I will post those when I get them.
The only dark spot was when Putty relieved himself in Meemaw's suitcase. I guess it was retaliation for being locked out of the festivites.

The Best Cat Ever

2007-10-12T10:25:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't know, Ben's family has the best cat ever. Puddy is awesome because he is demanding without becoming exhausting. Ben loves that he makes a lot of messes, breaks stuff, and hurls on the rug (never on the tile.)
The other day, we were watching a movie with Ben's parents, and we decided to bake a cake. I took it out to cool on the counter, and by the end of the movie, Puddy had eaten almost half the cake. You may not believe me, but he knew what he had done and he was laughing at us. He probably hurled that cake up the next day. He loves people food, but doesn't hold it down well. This has been a tribute to Puddy. He is getting older and there will never be another cat like him.

Finally Friday!

2007-10-12T10:04:00.000-05:00

It is Friday! Normally, I would say "WOOHOO," but today all I can muster is "woohoo." I woke up with a terrible cold and body aches after sneezing all night long.
Me on a different sick day: On the bright side, I am going to get to watch a sick movie. Everyone has a sick movie, right? Something you would only watch if you are sick. Today, mine is going to be "Twins" with Arnold and Danny DeVito. This movie represents the kind of humor you can only appreciate when your head is stopped up and you have taken a few benadryl.
I know there is plenty of fun to be had this weekend, but I guess I will miss it all. This is the last weekend of the fair, and I will gladly boycott that this year. Also, I hear there are some fun haunted houses taking place. My friend, Angie recommends this one: http://www.terrortest.com/. It is located in Lumberton, MS. I think it is a little bit intense. Not for the kids.
This Sunday is Ben's ordination. The event takes place at 6:00 at FBC Clinton. We will have a small dinner at the Rogers' home at 5:00 and dessert at their home after the ceremony.
Sorry for the superficial content of the blogs lately. I will tackle some deeper issues when I am feeling better.

Whew....

2007-10-10T12:27:00.001-05:00

Today is a busy day. Ben is preaching on the tenth commandment tonight, and his car is fixed so we have to pick it up ( Yay!) before we leave for Mendenhall. We were blessed that the repairs were not as expensive as we thought they might be. Also, we have begun the dreaded insurance claim (insert horror movie music here.) Our insurance company is going to pursue the uninsured motorist who hit us. We'll see...

In other news, Ben should be getting his XBOX back from its repairs today, and that should help him deal with stress as he waits for a letter from Southern. Laura and Maureen - Get ready for a Guitar Hero Tournament at Christmas!!

In reference to an earlier blog on the Emergent Church Movement: Ben's sister, Laura, found a very informative blog based on a recent sermon on the subject. Check out this link:
http://www.dashhouse.com/darryl/2007/10/tim_keller_what_are_the_risks_1.htm

Ben the Bouncer

2007-10-09T09:26:00.000-05:00

This is funny. Ben and his workout parter were approached at the gym by someone who owns a "Personal Protection" business.

It gave me an idea for Christmas gifts for our church members. What do you think about t-shirts that read "My Preacher can beat up your Preacher?" Just kidding...

These Pumpkins are Awesome...

2007-10-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

Uninsured Motorists

2007-10-08T09:25:00.000-05:00

On Saturday evening, Ben and I were hit by an uninsured motorist while sitting still at a red light. A couple of young hooligans thought they had enough room to get past us and into the turn lane. They did not. They scraped the side of our car and took some paint with them. The damage is not too terrible, but it is bad enough to make a difference. We are not having tons of luck with cars lately.....Ben's is in the shop for some serious piston issues.

Ben's Ordination

2007-10-05T10:11:00.000-05:00

Yay! Ben is going to be officially ordained on October 14th! We are very excited because this has been a long time in the works. Some of you may wonder, "What does it mean to be ordained?" Here is the answer I found online:

Answer: To be ordained is the public acknowledging by the church that is led by the Holy Spirit in recognizing God's call upon a candidate for the capacity of ministering the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Even though Ben has been preaching for nearly a year, he could not yet administer Communion, do marriages, funeral, baptisms, etc.

We are extra happy that Ben is going to be ordained in his family's home church, so that his family and old Sunday school students and teachers, can be there.

New Baby at New Home Baptist Church

2007-10-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

Our congregation at New Home Baptist Church is growing fast! Congrats to The Price Family, who welcomed their new son, William Beecher Price into the world on September 26th. William is the second birth at New Home this year. We finished painting the nursery just in time for Baby Dixie in August, and now we are happy to welcome this new member of our fellowship. Isn't he adorable?

Baby Madelyn

2007-10-04T10:51:00.001-05:00

We have a beautiful, seven-month old cousin, and since we didn't have this blog seven months ago, here is a pic of Madelyn. She is really photogenic and isn't that smile sweet?