Thrive Ministry

This afternoon we spent with our church family packaging up fruits and vegetables for the families in areas that are referred to as food deserts.  A food desert is a geographic area where affordable and nutritious food is alleged to be hard to obtain, particularly for those without access to an automobile,  

In a study on urban food environments, participants described the lack of supermarkets as both a practical impediment to healthful food purchase and a symbol of their neighborhoods’ social and economic struggles. Within cities, there are more than three times as many supermarkets in wealthier neighborhoods compared with poorer areas. Residents in low-income urban areas are often forced to depend on small stores with limited selections of foods at substantially higher prices.  

Fruits and vegetables are items that require frequent trips to the grocery store and in areas like the section of McKinney where we visit, it simply isn't always economically possible to make trips to the store. Today we served 70+ adults and 50+ children, we ran out of bags of food so we will prepare more next month.  Our McDermott family serves this area the first Friday of each month.  

Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Luke 6:21

Driving Ms. Abigail

Our Friday food pick ups took on a new level of excitement today, with Abigail driving!  She did a great job driving us to the Tom Thumb in Frisco, the Starbucks in The Colony, the Papa John's in The Colony, and the Papa John's in Plano. 

We picked up quite a few pizzas, breads and desserts for Monday's pantry.  Our pantry is still low on canned goods, breakfast items and soup but donations should start coming in next week.   The breads and desserts are great additions to our guest but they are a far cry from the nutritional needs of our guests.  

For he satisfies the longing soul,

    and the hungry soul he fills with good things. Psalm 107:9

Pre-Election Coverage with Glenn Beck

With only a week until the Presidential election, we spent the afternoon at Mercury Studios for a taping of the Glenn Beck television show.  His TV show is now available on most cable providers, and can be streamed from his website. 

Tonight was an open forum to ask Glenn any questions.  Questions ranged from election predictions to the failure of the health care system.  I really enjoy going to the studio for the tapings and I'm blown away at how gracious Glenn is to his guests. 

Following the taping Glenn gave audience members a tour of the Oval Office set where they will tape the election coverage.  He also took us through the new set for The Vault series.  Security is super tight and you are not permitted to take cameras or cell phone on the premises, so the only photos I have at the screen shots from streaming the show.  Abigail is sitting behind Jon and I, next to Frankie. 

It will be fascinating to see how next weeks plays out! 

Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them.  Nehemiah 9:34

Communion Bread

Tonight Abigail, Abby, Tate & Holly helped with the girl's Tabitha class. Tonight's class was teaching the younger girls how to make communion bread.  Abigail took Grandmother's rolling pin, which made so many batches of communion bread over the years.  

I grew up with my Grandmother making the communion bread for every Lord's Day. She would roll it out and then cut it into round wafers with a drinking glass. 

The communion bread the 3rd-6th grade girls made with the help of the high school girls will be served at services this Sunday.  

Here is the recipe the girls used: 

1 cup flour

1/2 stick butter

2-4 Tbsp. warm water

Preheat oven at 400.  Place flour and butter and cut with a pastry cutter. Add water as needed.  Mix until dough forms, roll dough into cracker thickness.  Use cookie cutter to cut circles.  Poke with fork and bake 8-10 minutes. 

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.

Acts 20:7

Dallas Opera's Moby Dick

We took off tonight with great friends to find out if Captain Ahab will ever get vengeance on the white whale for the loss of his leg.  We joined our PEACH homeschool friends for the Dallas Opera's classic tale of the ultimate challenge of man versus beast.  This performance was visually stunning as the adventure set sail on the high seas. 

I've never been a big fan of the projection sets versus the big elaborate hand crafted sets, but tonight they won me over.  The set was amazing, the projections were just incredible.  There were amazing including acrobatics with performers suspended and swimming through the depths. 

Not only was the play visually stunning, but the singing was even more phenomenal!  By far this was one of the best performances and it was even sweeter to share it with good friends! 

Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? Job 7:12

Enjoying Some Down Time

Monday's mean were at Metro Relief working in the food pantry.  This is the time of year when the food donations are probably at there lowest.  There isn't much food to sort or pack, so I took advantage of the down time and shot some pictures for our next Metro Relief newsletter.

The good news is that in two weeks food donations will start pouring in from the schools.  Many of the local elementary schools conduct food donations in time for the holidays.  So we have avoided ordering food to allow us to clear the shelves and prepare for the incoming donations.  

Most food pantry shelves are at the fullest from Thanksgiving though mid-February.  Many people are conscious of doing good and donating to the poor during this time of year.  Those big donations have a big impact on the operations of most food pantries.  

So while today, we didn't have much to do except clean up in anticipation of the coming donations, we did enjoy the down time with our sweet friends.  

 Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.  Luke 6:38

Sunday Studies

Another Sunday afternoon hanging out in the book of Acts!   We've finally covered enough of Luke's letter to start playing some review games.  This seems to be the best way to reinforce what the kids understand from our studies.

I try to put together different games to add a little variety to their learning.  Between our class lessons, study guides, practice tests, and games; hopefully I've got something for each learning style. This year i have a really big group of kids, even with all the kids in these pictures, there were still four kiddos out of town! 

One of my favorite tidbits from this weeks class was how the final words of Stephen, while he was filled with the Holy Spirit, mirrored the final words of Christ! 

And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.  Acts 7:59-60

The Boy!

We got a great surprise yesterday, the boy came home to see us.  Well actually, the boy came home to early vote, but close enough.  This was Caleb's first presidential election, so I took a picture or two.  But I made sure I kept the camera the required 100 feet from the election controls.  

It was a super short visit, just long enough for him to vote, eat and mom to do some laundry!  Sunday morning he went to church with us and was able to say hi to his friends.  I had to smile as he and Mr. Warpole, our missionary to Estonia, pontificated on his exegesis on a portion of Revelation. 

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.   Romans 13:1

Tethered Together

This post may get us in trouble with Granny!  The good news is Jon has completed painting all of the exterior of the house.  He's replaced boards, caulked and painted the entire house.  The scary part is that is him standing on one of the dormers painting the chimney. 

He was harnessed to the chimney and had a ladder strapped to the roof so he could get up and down the steep roof grade.  And, yes that is Frankie on top of the other ladder.  When I asked her what she was doing, she explained she was in charge of catching stuff Jon dropped AND calling 911!  At least they had a system!

By wisdom a house is built,

    and by understanding it is established;

Psalm 24:3

Frankie's Day

Have you checked your calendar today?  Did you notice?  Today is Francis Marie Day, it's the day we celebrate Frankie's adoption!  Twenty-Two years ago, after Frankie had been with us for three years through foster care, we were able to legally adopt Frankie. 

On that week, twenty-two years ago we were also able to attend the adoption proceedings for two of Frankie's biological siblings as well.  Each year we celebrate the unique way God assembled our family. 

Today we celebrated with a trip to the Dallas Arts District, followed by a stroll through Klyde Warren Park.  Later our girl picked her favorite spot for dinner, Olive Garden.  

The Lord watches over the sojourners;

    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,

    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

Psalm 146:9