the Spiked Student Ministries on a roll
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Bet you’ve been wondering what’s going on with Spiked. For the past month…well there’s been no Spiked services going on. Know why? It’s because there is quite an awesome team of adults meeting regularly to come up with Spiked 2010!
Yes there have been changes…again. And it may seem frustrating, but look at it this way. God gives us the freedom to try anything we can think of to make our ministry fruitful. So sometimes…we have to make changes until we find what seems to work out best for reaching our teens for Christ.
Sure - we want kids to have fun at Spiked. But that’s not what it’s ALL about. Our first priority is creating the environment that helps kids meet Jesus. And yeah…of course we want there to be an element of fun. But there first has to be the element of encountering Jesus. Fun is just a perk! We’ve been meeting regularly on how to make that happen.
So what kind of changes are coming about you ask?
Well we think that the public school systems knows what they are doing by dividing Middle School and High School to create the environments that are conductive to reaching the appropriate ages.
In light of that, the decision has been made to go back to having two separate services for Middle and High School aged teens. So starting Sunday January 24th Middle School (ages 6-8) will be meeting during the 11:00AM service at NHC. They will experience worship, Jesus and relationships with each other and an adult christian in small groups.
Starting on Wednesday January 27th, High School (grade 9-12) teens will meet for small groups. See small groups are equally as important for teens as they are for adults. But guess what - in the meantime they will be able to go hang out in the SPiked Youth Room starting at 3:00PM. That’s right - they can go from school to NHC, do homework, hang out, hit the snack bar and be in a safe environment with adults until groups start at 7:00PM. What better place for teens to hang out than church after school? They’ll even have adult mentors available if they need some one on one!!!
I think these are awesome developments. So if you have a Spiked age teen, hopefully you’ve already received your Parent Connect Discussion letter in the mail. This Sunday at 12:30PM we will feed you AND your teens for lunch. The teens will get to hang out in the Spiked environment with some adults while the parents get informed and meet the Spiked leadership team and have the opportunity to ask questions.
So do these exciting developments sound good to you? Even if you don’t have a Spiked aged teen I bet you do. How can you help? Hit me up about serving opportunities in Spiked Student Minitries.
Merry Birthmas to Me
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Yup - that’s right. Today is my BIRTHDAY! Now my old roommate used to tell me that you had to celebrate your entire birthday month!
Phew…I don’t even know if I have that in me anymore. HA HA! Well - at least we are starting with Happy Birthday Happy Hour at the Ale House on 70 this evening. Join us right after work for a quick sipping of spirits and an appetizer or two. See…a coworker and I share the very same birthday - so we’ve decided to celebrate with Happy Hour. Feel free to join us. Even one of my bestest friends and not so evil twin is going to venture over. Her birthday is Wednesday.
On another note - I almost didn’t think I was going to make it to see my birthday. Last night I had a nasty nasty nasty bad, worst than I ever have had, allergic reaction after I got in bed last night. Hives (bad - my scalp, lower back, arms, grrr), itching, rapid heartbeat, swelling of my face. And as usual I have no idea what could have triggered it. Argh. But two benadryl and a half hour later….I fell asleep and woke up normal.
Dear God
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Please turn the heat back on. The pipes are frozen and while I know you are showing me what a strong survivor I am when it comes to things like this and being able to do what I have to do to get things done and get my animals waterred…it’s a bit of a pain. I promise to appreciate water more when I have it again.
I’m sure you will do something like - I don’t know - burst a pipe to drive home more about perserverance when they finally thaw…so can we just get it over with? I Love you! Melinda
P.S. Thanks for the supportive man who helps me with things like this…but he can’t be here every day!
Bring on 2009-errr…10
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
I think the hardest part of ringing in the New Year is remembering to change the date on things I write for about 3 weeks. LOL!
So Christmas has come and gone…there are few remnants around my house that it was ever here…with the exception of some BLING, electronics, video games and the like. The tree is down…the lights haven’t been lit on the front porch since Christmas and to avoid being like Gretchen Wilson they will come down on Saturday (cuz for any Gretchen fans you know that she leaves her Christmas lights on on her front porch all year long!).
This past year really seems to have flown by. Maybe it’s all the life change…the love…the peace in my life. 2010 brings a whole new chapter and well…I’m really looking forward to it and with the new chapter comes a whole lot of planning.
Oh yeah- and for any Spiked peeps out there - there’s going to be some bangin’ changes at Spiked starting somewhere near the end of January. And if you haven’t been paying attention…do NOT report to Spiked until you have received notice to do so. That means check your mail, the blog, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace for word that it’s safe to come back. Ha ha!
Well I don’t know what everyone will be doing tonight to ring in the New Year…but I’ll be working. Hopefully people having New Year’s bashes will keep their biting dogs locked away from company, people on the road will watch for animals running out in front of them and bats will stay out of people’s houses so I won’t have to go out much. Wish me luck.
Whatever you are doing tonight at 1200Midnight…stop and say a a Prayer for God to rock your world in a good way in 2010. Happy New Year!!!
The Candy Cane Story
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
A candymaker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would remind people of the true meaning of Christmas; so he made the candy cane to incorporate several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy. White to symbolize the Virgin Birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church, and the firmness of the promises of God.
The candymaker then shaped his cane into the form of a “J” to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to the earth as Savior. It could also represent the staff of the “Good Shepherd” with which He reaches down to to reclaim the fallen lambs who, like sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candymaker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Sooo…as you are munching on these sweet peppermint treats this holiday season…take a minute to see what they really mean.
Holiday Eating Tips
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Got this from a friend in an e-mail today and just couldn’t resist sharing!
SOME “TRIED AND TRUE” HOLIDAY EATING TIPS
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?!
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards! To be perfectly honest, the only fruitcake you should even consider eating is the one where the fruit sits & ferments for a month before baked in the cakes or cup cakes & topped with homemade cream cheese frosting! Just talking about it I gain 5 lbs.
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in Heavan in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, a big ice cream cone dripping with hot fudge in the other….body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “YAAAAA HOO WEEEE DOGGY….What a ride!”
XMas is still CHRISTmas!
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
That’s right. People think that replacing CHRIST with X before mas (ha ha ha that sounded funny to me) means that we’re taking the CHRIST out of Christmas. But guess what….that’s not the case.
It is said that when the Emperor Constantine had his great vision that caused him to convert to Christianity, he saw the Greek letters Chi and Rho intertwined. Chi is written as an ‘X’ and Rho is written as a ‘P’, but they are the first two letters of the Greek word Christ ’savior’. ‘XP’ is sometimes used to stand for Christ. Sometimes X is used alone. This is the case in the Chi (X) abbreviation for Christ in Xmas. Thus, Xmas is not directly a way of secularizing the holiday, but since ‘X’ is not Chi in English, we read the word as X-mas and see no connection with Christ.
So if you’re just too lazy to write out the whole word, you can shorten Christmas with Xmas and you are still acknowledging (now that you know what you are doing) CHRIST in the word. Did you know that? Learn something new every day. But let me ask you this…was Jesus Christ being lazy when he gave himself on the cross to save us from our sins? So don’t you think you should take the time to write out the word C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S???
Now for those who want to remove CHRIST from Christmas- you can say Happy Holidays all you want….but it’s still CHRISTMAS to me. Which holidays are you referring to anyway? I can’t assume you mean CHRISTMAS when there are so many other holidays you may be wishing happy! HA HA HA!
Whatcha doin’ tonight? How about a date?
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
It’s Friday night…you’ve got the kids
You wish that you could date tonight
But sitters cost and cash is low
Cuz time’s are tough (we know dat’s right)
Well there’s a place where you can go
And get some child care for FREE
A chance for you to realize
How fun a date night used to be
There will be snacks and lots of friends
Lots to do, like real fun games
They’ll even watch a movie, too
Your children will be entertained
They will be in loving hands
With adults who treat them as their own
While you go out without a care
About what’s going on at home
So bring the kids to New Horizon
Church tonight from 6 to 9
They’ll be safe and you and yours
Can have yourselves quality time!!!
SEE YA THERE! (Well your kids!)
THANKS!
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
Thanks to Erin who confirmed Sunday that people DO really read my blog. Even if it’s only to find out if I’m still alive when I go missing for a month or so from church! LOL!
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I wish I could rewind it and do it all again now that I’m here at work on Monday! LOL!
There were lots of life claiming wrecks this weekend. On Thanksgiving morning there was a terrible wreck near a major intersection in my “neighborhood”. I went with Malcolm to the call. Turned out to be a friend of his who ended up with a broken femur, wrist and bleed in his spleen. But he is on the road to recovery so please pray that process is rapid for him including emotional recovery. Even though the accident was not his fault the others in the accident did not survive. So in addition to his emotional well being, please pray for the families of mother and daughter Jane McRary Beasley (61) and Susan Beasley Tamer (39) of Georgia as they grieve the loss. I just can’t imagine having to spend a holiday every year grieving and trying to remember what to be thankful for when you lose someone on that holiday.
Friday there was another fatal wreck Malcolm attended in our area that claimed the life of 20 year old Derek Joseph Scarborough.
There were other accidents in the local NC area that claimed lives. That leaves so many friends and family left to grieve on a holiday and who’s Thanksgivings from here on out will be tough. You can only pray that somewhere in it all they remember to Praise God and be thankful in ALL circumstances. I reckon in a time of loss such as the families that lost loved ones on Thanksgiving weekend they have to search deep and remember to be Thankful for the blessing of having those loved ones in their lives before their souls left this earthto go on to be a better place. But again I can’t imagine having a holiday marred by loss…and who’s to say I won’t ever have to one day? But I’ve always been one of those people who is affected by the grief of those around me, even when I did not know the person they are grieving for.
But this brings another thought, please when you see an accident either in passing or on the news remember to pray for the Fire Fighters, Rescue and Police personnel that attend those accidents. They are often just as emotionally affected by their response to these calls as anyone else. They may appear to be hiding it or masking it well on a scene…but they are doing a job trying to save lives and recover victims. But when the patients and victims are gone and the wreckage is cleared…their emotions tend to catch up with them as they absorb it all. It’s stressful…so they, too need your prayers.
For those touched by the story of Shaniya Davis
Posted by Melinda | Filed under Life
I continue to be amazed and inspired by the faith this little angel’s father continues to show in our Lord and Savior through all this. He says “May the joy of the Lord stay full in all of your hearts” when he concludes his statement to the press before taking questions. He states when questioned about his thoughts on his daughter possibly being sold as a sex slave he stated he had not been told some thing s had happened. ”However with the faith in the Lord that we can cleanse ourselves and ask for forgiveness and forgive those who’ve done this disgusting act”.And then when asked if he could forgive Shaniyas mother for what has happened he states ”With the Lord’s strength I’m sure I’will.”
Here is my tribute for everyone who has been touched following this story!
An angel child caught my heart though I never met her face Her loss cut deep as if was mine, when she met the Lord’s embrace Emotions that took over me were far beyond control A little girl I never knew, her name etched in my soul My heart cried out for those knew the blessing of her smile For I know the pain of missing that will linger quite awhile So now in a time of tragic loss, I can only pray In a time of anger and in grief that faith will not be swayed I pray for all the family, strangers and the friends As Faith is often questioned when it’s hard to comprehend Lord hold us tight and close to you as we grasp to understand How this angel came to be with you, taken by Satan’s hand Give us comfort, give us peace and show your love is true Now that Shaniya holds your hand and stands there next to you!Melinda Ann Duarte
LOVE YA!!...