Sunday, December 21, 2008

Learning Daily

Would you or someone you know like to have my blog put in your email the next morning after I blog. It's easy. If you put your email in the subscribe box below, you will get my blog in your email the next morning after I blog. You won't even have to come to this website. You can read my blog in your email box. I have also put a copy of this on the side panel for others to subscribe to when visiting.

Thanks for reading my blog and taking the time to keep up with me.
Richard

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Christmas Photo

We had an opportunity to get our photo taken at church last week. We got our photo taken in the gym with a pretty cool background. They used this background for our Red Carpet Christmas the night before. This photo was taken on December 14, 2008.

This is our Christmas Card to everyone we know. Please share.

Enjoy the photo.
Richard

Christmas Dinner

Christmas Dinner @ WLBC
December 21, 2008 6:00 p.m.

Dinner at Church is always a great event. It's a great time for fellowship and hanging out with people. With our busy lives, it is hard to spend time with each other. I love it when we all get together like this, even though I have to do some of the setup and cooking. It's just a lot of fun spending time with these people. I have never met a group of people who Love the Lord so much.

Our church has been through a lot of ups and downs over the last several years but we keep on going. God has a plan for us and we only continue to pray that we are doing His will. He has had His hand on our church and pushed us through many obstacles and bumps in the road. We just keep going. It is awesome.

Tonight the Bakers and Makers of WLBC cooked Roast and Ham and Dinner Rolls. The church family brought desserts, corn dishes, potato dishes, and even green bean casserole dishes.

Aaron and Hayden made a dessert to bring. They keep calling me "Richie". I guess in a way it's cool. Makes me feel loved by a couple of teenagers. I know it sounds weird, but you often expect adults to show love or "I like you" type things but not so much in teenagers. Teenagers can be hard to reach sometimes. But it is really neat to see these two open up and bring in a dessert and call me "Richie". I don't know if I am expressing the feelings I have towards these two or not very well. But hopefully you get the jest of the idea.

Enjoy the pictures of the food and the beautiful decorations Wanda and her team created on the little stage we have there in the gym. Wanda does such a great job with decorating for our events. It is fun to see all the little ideas she puts together for the tables etc...

Enjoy.
Richard








Friday, December 19, 2008

Ben Stein Said it Best...

Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning ( hope we find God again before it is too late!! )



The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu If people want a crïeche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Wednesday Night Supper

Supper was awesome tonight. For those who might have missed it, here are some pictures.
Tonights Menu:
Baked Ziti
Meatballs
Roasted Potatoes
Veggies
Texas Toast
Caesar Salad
Cheese Cake Bars
w/ Blueberries
w/ Cherries
w/ Strawberries
or Plain
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sweet Tea
Un-Sweet Tea
and Kool-Aid






Band Concerts



Wednesday, December 10, 2008

1 Timothy 6:7

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:7 NIV


I read that daily bible verse just a moment ago. It was posted here on my blog and just thought WOW! We really can be just content to have food and clothing. Nothing else is needed to be content. I am definitely happier with a full belly. LOL

Anyways... I saw that I just had to share it. God has really been working on my heart to be content with very little. I used to make almost 3 times what I do now and thought it was never enough and never had a contentment with most anything. These days, I am more content with less. Don't get me wrong, I love my internet and computers. I enjoy working on them. I am good at working with them and they bring a sense of accomplishment and a job well done.

I am finding that God is showing me more avenues to be content with His guidance. It is a really awesome feeling to feel this way and know God keeps us safe.

Tonight during cooking, I almost spilled a full pot of boiling water on myself when trying to pull it off the stove. I kid you not, that pot quit moving until I could grab it and push it back on the stove. For real, I should be in the hospital right now with 3rd degree burns. It was an amazing miracle. God's hand held that pot on the edge of the stove top until I could grab it and get control of it. There was definitely something miraculous about that moment. I can't believe I almost forgot to share that.

I can't stop thinking tonight about how mighty our God is. How awesome He is. And the fact He proves Himself over and over again. It's like I have seen the power God for the first time and the control He has over everything. Nothing we do is worth anything unless it comes from God and His guidance.

This just goes back to the "Listen and Obey". There is something umm.... extremely special about God's handy work.

Pray for me to listen more often. God has shown me a path of a future that is waiting for me. I don't know when I will get there or when it will happen, or for that matter know where it will happen. My thoughts and my heart and emotions feel like they have almost done a 180 and I am trying to keep up with it. I get a little lost along the way and then God does what He did today and I can see His light again.

I want to be willing to go when HE says "GO!" I want to ask the impossible and believe it. I want that Faith HE so freely gives to us. All we have to do is pray and we will receive. I also want to know the right things to say when someone asks me about my faith and my God. I want to be able to convey the importance of knowing Jesus. I want to be able to convey the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit when He speaks. I want to keep growing and learning.

I know sometimes I have a hard time getting across what I want to say and convey what is on my heart. I just hope you can read between the lines and understand the wholeness of what I am trying to say.

Good Night my Brothers and Sisters.
God Bless you and your loved ones.
Richard

$10 Can save a life

This is so weird that I am not sure how to start.

Last week I felt that God was leading me to a "Gas" ministry of some sort. It was a heavy burden that I find a gas station that had gas gift cards. I hear Todd and Renee talk about how several people come to the church for help with groceries and/or gas needs. So I finally found a place that would do some pre-paid gas vouchers. They normally don't do anything like that but since I was getting them for the church and it was for a special type of need, they agreed to do it. So I purchased 3 $10 gas vouchers from Human's BP on Western Avenue here in Knoxville. I took them back to the church and Renee put them in an envelope somewhere so when someone came in for a need they could use those. It was important that the money was for gas and not anything else. With certain types of gift cards people can buy things they don't need. I used to do it myself. If I needed cash, sometimes I would purchase things that were NOT necessary to keep going. So again, I wanted to make sure it was very specific. Gas Only!

Today I asked if anyone had come in with a need yet for the gas. I wanted to make sure they didn't need more and also to see what kind of weekly need we might be looking at. Later Renee told me someone came to the church and they were on the way to the hospital with an immediate family member in the car that was having a heart attack and they did not have enough gas to get to the ER. They stopped at church to see if we could fill that need. (This part gave me chills) Because we had those vouchers, someone was able to get their loved one to the hospital. All because we were able to provide an immediate need. I still get chills and tears of gladness that we were able to help someone. $10 saved a life tonight by getting someone to the hospital at a most crucial moment.

I look back on this and think, God knew someone would need it. Even though I just felt an urge to fill a need for someone. This need was beyond just getting to the store or going to a family members house, ect... This was a medical emergency need. As I reflect on last Wednesday when this started, I didn't really know why I had such a burden to buy gas for someone. Tonight God saved another life. I am so overjoyed that I actually listened to God and He showed me why it was important to listen. I really don't want this to sound like it was me who did anything except listen and obey. God had his hand on this before anyone could see what would come of it.

I have this overwhelming emotion of joy and thankfulness. There are so many times I don't listen and this again just shows me what God can do when someone listens. What if we all just listened and obeyed? What if? My prayer is that I continue to listen and obey. God has continued to show me what He is capable of over the last several months. Its like a big NEON sign in the front of my face.

God has just really blessed our family. And I can see the great Joy it is to just listen and obey. Our blessings may not be monetary, but there is definitely no shortcomings of Joy lately and the awesome feeling of being thankful for all that we have and DON'T have.

Remember, to you it might be a strain on the pocket book, but to someone else it may be their loved one's life you can save.

$10 saved a life today. What else does God have in store for us? I can't wait to find out.

May God bless you and speak to you,
Richard

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Staff Christmas Party

Ha Ha, that is a funny one isn't it? Staff? Whoever thought I would be part of a Church Staff? I never did! It's amazing where God can take you and put in places you never thought of before. As I started helping and volunteering after we joined the church, I thought it would be could. I never thought the opportunity would present itself so boldly. It has been a roller coaster of emotions to get to this point.

Ok so back to the party... Have I mentioned yet that it was a blast? NO? Well it was. It was awesome to spend time more intimately with people you generally only see a few times a week. It was just awesome to sit and watch each other and have fun with each other. Even better yet, it was all kid free! Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with my kid and our church family's kids are great too.

Ok so we did this gift swap thing. Everyone gets a number and we randomly choose a gift from the pile starting with number 1 then 2 then... you get the idea. What makes it more interesting is that the next person can take your gift instead of one from the pile. I was the first to "steal" a gift. And it was funny, I didn't do it nicely, I snatched it and ran back to my seat with it. HA HA HA! Everyone got a kick out of that one. As it went on other people were taking each other's gifts. Tammy got a gift that she really liked (salt and pepper shakers, she collects them) and it was taken from her and at one point she got to get them back, but towards the end, I knew she really wanted them so I went over and pretended to take them. LOL She about broke my arm off. LOL I wasn't going to take it, but it was fun to see her reaction. I wound up taking the last gift from the pile to end it all. What a blast. That was the first time I had ever done a gift swap like that. I finally ended up with a gift card from Cracker Barrel and some chocolate. I can't remember what Michele got. Oh well. After that, Todd gave out Christmas Ornaments. Another surprise. I didn't think that there would be so much going on at one party. This definitely tops all the other parties I have been to.

I was able to get a picture of all of us at the end. It is a little blurry, but I think its from all the Love over pouring in the room that blurred it.



Great Times.
Great People.
Great Food.
Awesome entertainment.
Awesome God!

Thanks
Richard

Photo Editing

I thought I would show you something I created.

Recently Michele and I attended the staff party for WLBC. By the way... It was a blast!

Todd and LeeAnne had put up a beautiful tree and we all brought gifts. Now at one point these gifts were under the tree. I never got that picture. However... I did manage to recreate the scene.

First here is the original Tree Image.



Here is what I did to that image.



NEXT Here is the original Gift Image.



I then edited the Gifts Image and got this...



Then I added them together, did a couple more things and the final product looks like this.



From beginning to end, this took about 2 hours to do.
I hope you appreciate the hard work it takes for anyone to create an image.
Now of course I probably could have done it faster if I had better editing tools, but hey, all of my imaging software came free with something I purchased along the way.

Anyways... I like to create new images and add special effects and put other images on top of other images to make new ones. I thought this one was special because it came from a special night spent with Family.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Richard

Friday, December 5, 2008

I Scored a 47

Dr. Phil's Test: Here you go. Try this!

Below is Dr Phil's test. (Dr. Phil scored 55; he did this test on Oprah -
she got a 38.) Some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out!

Read on, this is very interesting!

Don't be overly sensitive! The following is pretty accurate and it only takes 2 minutes. Take this test for yourself and send it to your friends.

Don't peek, but begin the test as you scroll down and answer.

Answers are for who you are now --- not who you were in the past.
Have pen or pencil and paper ready.

This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept. at many of the major corporations today. It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and prospective employees.. It's only 10 Simple questions, so grab a pencil and paper, keeping track of your letter answers to each question.

Make sure to change the subject of the e-mail to read YOUR total. When you are finished, forward this to friends/family, and also send it to the person who sent this to you. Make sure to put YOUR score in the subject box.

Ready?

Begin.

1. When do you feel your best?
a) in the morning
b) during the afternoon and early evening
c) late at night


2. You usually walk...
a) fairly fast, with long steps
b) fairly fast, with little steps
c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
d) less fast, head down
e) very slowly


3. When talking to people you...
a) stand with your arms folded
b) have your hands clasped
c) have one or both your hands on your hips
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair


4. When relaxing, you sit with...
a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b) your legs crossed
c) your legs stretched out or straight
d) one leg curled under you


5. When something really amuses you, you react with...
a) big appreciated laugh
b) a laugh, but not a loud one
c) a quiet chuckle
d) a sheepish smile

6 When you go to a party or social gathering you...
a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed


7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted...
a) welcome the break
b) feel extremely irritated
c) vary between these two extremes


8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a) Red or orange
b) black
c) yellow or light blue
d) green
e) dark blue or purple
f) white
g) brown or gray


9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are...
a) stretched out on your back
b) stretched out face down on your stomach
c) on your side, slightly curled
d) with your head on one arm
e) with your head under the covers


10. You often dream that you are...
a) falling
b) fighting or struggling
c) searching for something or somebody
d) flying or floating
e) you usually have dreamless sleep
f) your dreams are always pleasant



POINTS:
1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e) 1
10. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1

Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINTS : Others see you as someone they should 'handle with care. You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS : Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone w ho will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them u p and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS : Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions & who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. Some people think you' re boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren't.

Now forward this to others & put your score in the subject line.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Funny Happenings

This last week has just been full of Funny Happenings.

I don't know if anyone else would call them funny, but they have definitely made me chuckle and smile a lot. I guess more so today things have been funny but anyways....

Today at work, I was walking by a co-worker and they asked me if I was having fun. Having just gotten off a call that we had a good time on, I of course said "Yes". My co-worker asked if I had an upgrade. I was totally tossed for a second, and thought he was referring to our software that we use. I looked back with confusement and said, "No". He then asked me why I was having fun, I said, Life is too short not to let all these little things bring us down. He nodded his head as if agreed and I went on my way smiling.

Anyone that knows me, knows I tend to be a smartelic often. Gee really? Ya think? HA HA.
Lately, I have been just cracking up with my customers. I had one the other day that was trying to get their modem activated with a CD we give them. It wasn't working. I asked them if they were eating peanut butter or not? They seemed to be confused, I continued with that they had to eat a peanut butter sandwich when installing our software because it held your mouth just right. Of course after that they started laughing. You know those times when you just keep trying and someone says you have to hold your mouth just right. HA HA. Anyways my customer seemed to get a kick out of it.

Lately, I have wanted to make people smile with me on the phone. Sometimes in the job I am in, the conversations can get so dull and dry and boring. Sometimes its harder with some people but I at least try and see if they bite. If they don't bite I just continue on with my dry boring self. **SIGH!**

Back to TODAY. This morning we had a flat tire. We have had no luck with tires this past year and it was just funny. Earlier this year I had a flat and lost it. I spent over 2 hours crying over something that just couldn't be avoided. Since then, I laugh every time it happens. Why Not laugh. Its funny. Who else do you know has to replace their tires over 12 times in a year. LOL So Michele was like, "How can you stay so calm?". I said, I am not sure. I just know that it will work out one way or another. I kept reassuring her that we had been through worse. I guess I just trusted that God would provide a way. The tire place behind us "Po-Boys Used Tires" is generally out of the size I need for my truck. This morning I decided to call them before driving on a flat to go see them. I didn't want to have to tow my truck a couple hundred feet back to the house. They did have the size I needed. So me and the truck bounced down the road. If any of you have ever had a flat tire and driven on it, you know it bounces you like a ride at the amusement park. LOL I got over there and got a tire. The tire they hooked me up with is almost as good as my 2 other New tires. LOL

Ok and the last thing that is making me chuckle these days besides saying the word "chuckle", LOL, is Brandon is E-Mailing people. More so his grandparents but still. His verbiage is so unlike what I expected. He can actually write a decent email and sound good doing it. He almost e-mails like a pro. Him and his Grammy and Grandma Jacque and been communicating back and forth and it's hilarious to read these emails. Brandon just thinks of the obvious things that we often seem to forget. Like there was a reference that my dad could not take his "hoveround' type wheel chair out in the snow because of the battery pack. So Brandon just pops up with, what about a cover for it. Gee why didn't we ever think of that. Of course they don't make covers to protect his battery, but what if they did? Sometimes I think we just need to ask our children what they think about things. They just state the obvious and the most simplest answers. We seem to over analyze and complicate things. Know I now why Jesus wants us to have faith like Children. Children just believe without question and they make it that simple and as adults we complicate things.

When I was a child, I was told that I would grow up and complicate things. I never thought I would complicate things. I always just had that simple faith. As an adult, I have to admit there are a lot of times I complicate things. There are so many reasons why, but mostly because our minds get poisoned by the TV and the computer and other things in our lives. People influence us on a daily basis. Anyways.... I have learned this week from my own child to remember to just keep it simple.

Brandon is truly amazing a lot of times. He just blows me away. I am so thankful and blessed that we have Brandon in our lives. He really is a gift from God. No one else but God can put someone that special in our daily paths of life.

Hope all is well with you and your families.
God Bless!
Richard

Kudos

Have you ever worked at a place that publicly displays your "Kudos". If you are like most people, you're like, what's a kudo? Kudos is a job well done or a compliment.
I thought I would share this funny Kudo I got back on 9-18-08. It's Flippin Hilarious!


Anyways, you may have to click on the picture to see it better.
Later Gators!