Season's Greetings, 2012

As another year draws to a close, our hearts overflow with gratitude and joy as we recall what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us.

While we were expecting our fourth baby, we needed to purchase a larger vehicle that could accommodate our growing family.  After months of searching, the Lord provided a Ford Traveler’s van that seats seven.  The second row inside this 12-passenger van has two bucket seats with a video deck between them on the floor and two video screens above.  The third row has a three-passenger bench and all the seats are leather.  The rear does not currently have a four-person bench, but one could be installed later.  It also has a tow package with low mileage and the price was within our budget.  Our big, green van has indeed been a huge blessing.

Likewise, we were having some leakage from the roof.  As you know, a new roof is expensive when paid out-of-pocket.  So we put off purchasing a new roof for as long as possible.  When late Spring came, we could not wait any longer.  After speaking with a building contractor and our insurance adjuster, we received a new roof for only the cost of our deductible!  We praise the Lord, yet again, for providing to meet our needs out of the abundance of His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

The birth of our fourth child was quickly approaching.  After an undesirable experience in the hospital at Shiphrah’s birth, I hired a professional midwife to deliver our baby at home.  Well, after 4 hours of mild labor, I was still not completely certain I was truly in labor.  I had been communicating with my midwife during this time but it wasn’t until my water broke 5 minutes before the birth that I was certain of my labor.  Needless to say, the midwife did not arrive in time to deliver the baby and (SURPRISE!) our first son was born in our master bathroom, caught by an unprepared Daddy!  It has been, and probably will remain, the most exciting birth story in our family!  Praise the Lord! What a marvelous blessing it was to give birth at home!

Joseph Wade is now 6 months old and growing quickly.  He is already wearing 12 month clothing, sleeping through the night and very happy.  He always has a smile and greeting for all.  The only time he is not content is when Momma doesn’t hold him while he’s awake.  He has brought a lot of joy to our home.

Moriah turned 5 years old last month and it’s hard to believe that so much time has already passed.  She loves to play with the baby and looks forward to having a family of her own when she grows up.  She is reading at a first grade level and loves to learn.  Lily is learning to read and loves to talk to Joseph, play with dolls, Legos and puzzles.  We will celebrate her 4^th birthday in January.  Shiphrah celebrated her 2^nd birthday this past August and is currently toilet training.  I think the “Terrible Twos” has hit her, but her smile and infectious laughter always light up our lives.  Our children keep our home busy and all three girls, even at their ages, love to help Momma.  They get excited when they assist me in various tasks.  They know that we love them and that they contribute something beyond value to our family.

We pray that this letter finds you well and that you similarly are filled with gratitude for all the wonderful ways God has blessed you this year and that, like our family, you seek to bless the Lord in your service to others in the year to come as we eagerly anticipate the return of our Lord.

Grace to you and yours!

The Andersons

P. S. Speaking of service to others, Jeramy and I will quickly finish a book we hope to self-publish by Spring 2013.  I am also preparing to record my first album entitled, Hymns on Violin.  Lord willing, it should be ready concurrently with the book.  We pray that these two contributions will bless and benefit many to the glory of God, our Father.

Black Hair

Sometimes I get questions about how to daily care for black hair.  All of the following is from personal experience.

Most girls and women desire to have long hair because it is a mark of our femininity in the current culture and has been, probably since Creation.  The best way, and for many the only way, black females are able to grow their hair is to let it remain natural.  By natural I mean without chemical additives that permanently damage the hair.  She would always wear it as an afro.  As soon as she begins to process her hair with chemicals and heat, the strength is compromised, it becomes very fragile and breaks very easily.  If a black woman keeps her hair natural, then it is actually very easy to maintain on a daily basis.  Using a wide-toothed comb she might part her hair into sections, comb or brush each section and braid them individually or style into afro puffs.  She might like cornrows, twists, dreds or even braided extensions.  These former styles can last up to several weeks or years (dreds) if washed carefully.  Daily apply some grease (it's like a translucent solid oil, like see-through Crisco or petroleum jelly) or braid oil spray and style as desired.

Do not wash black hair daily.  This robs the hair of essential oils as the texture is dry and brittle.  Once a week is sufficient but no more than twice a week.  Rinsing the hair might be okay if no cleansers are applied (I don't have a beautician's license, so ask a professional if you have further questions.)

Once the black woman begins to chemically treat her hair, then much more maintenance is required so that it will not break off.  I have a permanent relaxer that I apply to my roots every 6 weeks or so.  When I wash my hair, no more than twice weekly, I use a moisturizing shampoo for treated/damaged hair.  I follow that with a deep penetrating conditioning reconstructor that I rinse out after 5 - 10 minutes, then I use a leave-in conditioner.  Before blow drying my hair I apply an oil moisturizer while it's still a little damp so that the oil can have more even coverage.  I let my hair air dry for a while for two reasons: 1. From start to finish, it takes a lot of time that a busy momma just can't risk leaving her small children unattended for so long if they're awake; and 2. To minimize the amount of heat applied to the hair.  After blow drying I will use a hot curling iron to turn the ends under.  At night I will cover my head with a silk scarf to prevent elastic bands from further breaking my hair.  The curls will stay intact if I avoid humidity until it's next washing.  Daily I apply an oil moisturizer before combing to my desired style.

It sounds like a lot of work.  Maintaining a relaxed style is a lot of work especially when I touch up my roots and when I wash it.  But my natural texture is a very thick afro that I affectionately call my "rat's nest."  To me, I really enjoy being able to comb my hair.  With a natural head of hair, combing is not possible.  As soon as I comb or brush the knots out of a section of hair, it just gets knotted back up in less than ten seconds unless I cornrow or braid it.  Plus, my husband prefers to be able to run his fingers through my hair, which would be impossible if I maintained an afro.  Maybe one day, when I reach 50, I'll forsake the perm and go natural with a feminine afro and accent with some flowers, jewels or large gold hoop earrings.  If you do see a black woman with a beautifully shaped afro, be kind and don't go poke a hole in it or scrunch it with your hands.  It probably took her 20 minutes to get it to look that way.

Our New Van!

 2002 Ford E150 in excellent condition

The driver and front passenger seats.  All the seats, including the bench are leather.

From the rear, notice the two TV screens and cargo space.

Taken from the side door.  Notice the two bucket seats in the middle, under the TV screens.  The VHS player (with aux adapters) sits in between these two seats.

Ever Ask for a Sign?

Here's a double-sided one that Jeramy and I made for our church. Adjacent to the Sanctuary is a room with two-way glass and a monitor that is set up to be a Nursery with a changing table, rocking chairs and safe toys. But a visitor would not know this room is available, so we put some feet, blades, sandpaper, pencils and acrylic paint together to create this unique sign. The only material I bought for this specific project was the lettering stencils. The wood was a scrap piece that had been planed and sanded. The acrylic paint & brushes were a gift that still hadn't been used and the hanging ribbon I already had also. I hope the church will like it.

Is College REALLY Necessary?!

My entire life it was always assumed that I would go to college. The only matter was, "Which one?"

I decided to get a degree in music on violin and considered a double major in biology to pursue a career in the medical field. After I completed my freshman year, while taking several hard science classes and my required music classes (to fulfill my music scholarship obligations) I nearly pulled my hair out. My grades were good, but it was stressful and my Christian fellowship dwindled. So, I decided to focus on my music degree with a biology minor, then see what happens.

During the last two years of my Bachelor's I considered that I could make music my profession. However after 4 years in a secular university I was unprepared to take a major orchestra audition. I knew I needed more training, but I had no money. Providentially, after $40K spent, I had no debt either.

I took a year off to work and save money while I decided where I would go to further my education. I got info from every music school and conservatory in the US (except Julliard) and then my music minister plugged Southern Seminary into the mix. After visiting two prospective schools with their respective auditions, I prayerfully considered where God was leading me: Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA or The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY.

I received my Master's in Music, Solo Performance in the Church, on Violin from Southern and finished my program without debt, but very scarily almost living on the street. It cost me about another $20K total. (I didn't know anything about credit or loans at this time.) However after my post-graduate degree, I still felt somewhat unprepared to take an audition for any orchestra, although I was definitely more prepared than before.

After marrying Jeramy and being exposed to the true history about the government (public) school system and how liberal most secular and religious colleges and universities have become, it dawned on me what a waste of time it is while a person is in the prime of their life.

Think about it. The average school student spends a lot of time in history classes learning about all the great leaders of the past who never attended formal schooling and somehow accomplished so much - but we never stop to think that they were home educated then apprenticed into their profession and achieved their goals much quicker, by 20 or 25 years old or while still teenagers. Why don't we do that today?

If I could go back, I would change my entire learning experience. I would not have wasted 4 years going to a secular university and then another 2 years getting a Master's degree. A grand total of $60,000 and 7 of the peak years of my life (18 - 25) were gone and I was still unprepared to take a major orchestra audition.

Instead, if I were 18, I would take 90 minute private lessons twice a week with a very high caliber teacher in a major orchestra, perform in community and other local orchestras while building a network at the same time in the musical field. All the other musical training: sight-singing, music history, music theory, violin pedagogy, piano keyboarding, etc. I would have just read the books and taught myself. I estimate that the cost would have been only half as much money rather than going away to school. If I had pursued this apprenticeship pathway, then at the end of 4 solid years taking the lessons and playing in orchestras - I feel like I would have been adequately prepared to take a major audition at 22 or earlier.

Pursuing an apprenticeship would have saved a lot of money because the only expenses would be the private lessons, any audition fees, and gas. Most local community orchestras are free to participate in. Some college orchestras may let you play without paying for the credit hours too. You'll save money on college admission, room & board, $X per credit hour multiplied by all the courses that don't advance you toward your goal. For example, two years of General Education classes (high school repeated = waste of time), piano keyboarding classes (= waste of time), and elective courses (= waste of time). In addition to all these, there is so much ideology that you will be forced to tolerate that you may completely abhor if you're a believer in Christ (a repeat of all the convoluted worldviews in the government education system = a minefield for Christians = imminent death).

Government schools, colleges and universities are cultivating in their student body a particular worldview not a set of career/professional skills.

However, I must say that given my limited knowledge at every turning point, I felt like I made the best decisions possible. In the providence of God, had I not taken that pathway, I never would have met my husband and had my children. In that sense, God used my poor educational choices to bring about a better circumstance for the present. Sure, if I could go back and change those things, I would - but look at what I would be sacrificing. I'm thankful for my family and I'm content to use my experience to encourage others to choose a less expensive, more direct route to their life's pursuits.

Eight-Point Deer!

We always see the does in our yard at all kinds of morning hours eating our shrubbery. This is the first time Jeramy and I have seen a buck in our yard. He appeared very late in the morning - about 10 a.m. I was shocked to see him greet me when I returned home from my 13 week ultrasound!

Sorry For the Lag

I'm very sorry to all you who eagerly look to my blog for something new. Lately my fatigue and nausea have increased and getting the essential daily things done is more of a challenge.

I pray God's mercy that I will not endure fatigue and nausea the entire length of my pregnancy but that it will be over soon. I have many things to share, but I'll just have to eat some humble pie and learn some patience before I can do that.

Check back on occasion, I promise to return with more regular, predictable posts soon.

-Meggan

Snake in the Den!

Late Friday night, after putting Shiphrah down to sleep, I saw what I thought was a broken shoe string on the floor. When I got closer I saw what it really was! Click on the picture to see it larger. It was probably about 8 inches long.

Jeramy killing said snake with a 10 ft. pole, no shotgun.

Yep, it's dead now. But anxiety still looms. I'm sure there are others out there, ready to enter our home. And how did it get in? We only have best guesses.

The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life;

And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Genesis 3:14-15

HUGE Getty Sale!

Keith & Kristyn Getty, the modern hymn writers are having a mega huge clearance sale for their USA customers. You get 10 products for $20 total! That's $2.00 a piece for a CD or a songbook or any combination thereof!

This is HUGE!

Hurry the sale won't last! Stock up now for Christmas and save a boat load!

Click HERE

Beware: Predators Are EVERYWHERE!

You go about your day the same old usual way: your commute, your chores, your exercise, your errands and everything else in between. All the people you meet from day to day that cross your path - you would have no reason to suspect them of anything. Usually when you meet someone new, you give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they aren't a serial killer and are genuinely a nice person, right?!

That's all well and good but BEWARE: sexual predators are everywhere! When you first meet them, they will probably seem pretty normal, just like everyone else. As you get to know them, they begin to win your trust. After that, they begin to slowly, methodically cross certain boundaries to see how you will react. Then they will strike and leave you wondering, "How did this happen?" School teachers, clergy, boy scout leaders, and family members and others comprise this group of heinous criminals! Most of the time the offender is someone you know and trust, not a stranger!

It happened to me. And it happens to hundreds of thousands and even millions of people everywhere. These predators may live in your town, neighborhood and even next door! If you live in Gwinnett County go to the Sheriff's Sex Offender website, click to "Search for Offenders in Your Area," type in your address and see how many registered offenders there are in your neighborhood. There are 11 within a 1 mile radius of my home and two of those are in my same subdivision! Stay alert to protect yourself and your precious children!

Also, you must be aware that not every abuser has a criminal record. Not every abuser has ever been reported or prosecuted. The current statistics are this: 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be assaulted by their 18th birthday! AND only 1 in 10 actually report it! So I can deduce that of those 11 registered offenders living in close proximity to my home that 1) they are repeat offenders and/or 2) there are actually MORE than 11 living in close proximity to my home! This raises very unsettling questions . . .

1. How can I possibly know who to watch out for?

2. How can I protect my family?

3. How can I possibly trust anyone?

4. How do I teach and train my children in case something horrible happens?

5. What resources are available for awareness and preparedness?

6. If the worst should happen, where can I go for healing and encouragement?

A1. In many ways, we always watch out for everyone! You give them the benefit of the doubt in Christian love until they begin to "groom" you by testing personal physical boundaries - then you better watch out!

A2. Protect your family by always being aware of where they are, who they are with, how to contact them, locking doors, security systems, etc.

A3. Everyone can earn a healthy level of your trust, but that doesn't mean you must trust them with everything you hold dear to you! I trust my neighbor to pick up their dog doodie in my yard, but I will never trust them to watch my children with me absent, even for 10 minutes!

A4. Teach your children, even while very young, about physical boundaries. Teach them what is appropriate behavior, physical touch and language and teach them what is NOT appropriate! Teach them to say, "NO!" Teach them where they can go that is safe. Teach them what they need to know in an emergency. If you drill this information (phone numbers, addresses, etc.) or put it in song, they will remember and not easily forget.

A5. www.VoiceToday.org

Voice Today is a non-profit, Christian based, organization for victims, survivors and victors of childhood sexual abuse. They provide resources for all of these things. Voice was started locally, in Marietta, and has been reaching many with it's message of "Breaking the Silence" in order to equip families for prevention.

A6. Report it to the authorities in your jurisdiction immediately! If a sex crime has occurred, do what you can to get an accurate identification of the perpetrator with thorough visual description, DNA and any other information you can give. Some of this info may be on your physical person after an attack so don't bathe and lose valuable evidence before it can be collected. Voice Today was begun to free victims from the shame and guilt of past crimes committed against them. Victims can find healing and victory over these experiences through Christ who is able to heal every infirmity. His blood will never lose its power.

Protect yourselves and your young ones.

Spread the word.

Check out the web links.

If anyone gives you ANY reason to be suspicious, don't trust them!

Like to Get Floury?

Then a cute apron is the best remedy!

I love to bake! Cooking is okay, but baking is the best! When I die, I want to be known as a baker.

I don't mind getting into a floury mess, because I know the results will be delicious.

And a floury mess on a cute apron, keeps your dress with less mess stress.

So, enter Leah's apron giveaway.

And bake (or cook) away!

Excuses, Excuses

I'm so sorry I've been letting y'all down out there! I promise I'll try to be more consistent with even a little something. It's easy to get bogged down with "busy" taking care of three little ones and a husband to boot.

For Colored Girls: A Movie Review

This Tyler Perry PG-13 rated drama centers around nine black women, ages 16 to 60-ish, and their attempts to overcome adversity. All of their lives are intertwined interestingly as most of them dwell in the same apartment building in New York. The title comes from the main poem recited at the beginning of the movie and similar poetry is weaved throughout, passing from character to character. If you want to check out trailers and clips, go to YouTube. The actresses are experienced and do a very fine job of portraying these characters honestly and as if they were real women. The all-star cast, plot lines, poetry, etc. all draw you in to make the performance that much more real and meaningful. It's been called Tyler Perry's best work yet.

Personally, as a colored girl, it was the worst movie I've seen in a long time. I say that, not because it misrepresents colored girls, it hits the nail on the head in almost every way. But I say that because of my hope and faith in Jesus Christ and my desire to glorify and submit to Him and His Word. If you are somewhat happily living, realizing the fullness of Christ more and more daily, content in your marriage to a thoughtful, servant-leading husband, who never gives you a reason why you should distrust him - then do not view this movie! All of the adversity these women face is somehow caused by abuse they suffered at the hands of black men. And the way they respond to all this adversity is by secular means, not through personal hope and faith in Christ, which is exactly what is needed for the seriousness of the issues these women faced. Now the issues:

Abortion: This act is alluded to on screen, but it not at all graphic in any way. I found myself screaming on the inside as I watched what I knew was about to happen. Again, there was nothing graphic, only the images of metal instruments. There is a redeeming quality, though. The two women who had had abortions were very regretful about their decision and worldly sorrowful about it.

Marriage: There is only one healthy marital relationship in the movie, to an honest and caring black man. But it is not glorified or exalted as an example of what should be. There is an adulterous marriage, co-habiting, and fornication.

Murder: In this movie, two young children are murdered on screen. I could not bear to watch to see how graphic it was.

Religion: One character is seen as a religious nut, very much on the cultic side. The name of her god seems to mock at the one true God in Jesus Christ. She views unborn babies as "evil" and prays in front of some shrine set up in one of her apartment corners. She runs around yelling, "Repent! Repent!"

Sexual Crimes: There is a rape committed on-screen, again not too graphic or violent, but very horrible to stomach. The only woman who is happy and always smiling, has this horrible violence committed against her and you never see her recover emotionally. There is talk of other such crimes committed in the past against other characters, and it is given as the cause for their on screen behavior.

This movie is not entertainment. I believe that Perry's motive is to give hope to black women. Unless that hope is in Christ, then it is a false hope. It asserts that to be a black woman is to experience sorrow, distrust, betrayal, and abuse by black men, and to have wrong theology.

Honestly, this movie caused me to remember sins committed against me of which I had long since forgotten, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to become suspicious of all men around me, even my wonderful husband. If anyone highly recommends that you view this movie, as a serious believer in Christ (daily Bible reading, prayer, service, church attendance, relying on grace to walk righteously, fully dependent on the atoning work of Christ alone), then give some serious consideration as to whether watching a movie such as this would alter your emotions and worldview and shift your focus away God's mighty redeeming work of replacing beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair, and the grace to forgive and even forget in love.

Turning 30

Last Saturday I turned 30 years old. Jeramy went to great lengths to make sure that I felt special on my birthday. He bought me 30 tulips. He asked G'Wanda to take the girls to sleep over Friday night. Then Saturday he cooked me a special "30" themed lunch with 30 chicken wings, 30 pieces of boiled carrots, and 15 pieces of banana + 15 m&m's = 30 for dessert each one in the shape of the number 30. He also wrote me "30 Reasons Why I Love My Wife, Meggan":

1. She is made in the image of God.
2. She supports me through peaks and valleys.
3. She trust my financial decision making.
4. She is intelligent.
5. She desires wisdom from God through His Word.
6. She reads His Word.
7. She loves God in Christ.
8. She nurtures our children.
9. She disciplines our children when it is difficult.
10. She is beautiful.
11. She exercises regularly.
12. She watches her diet.
13. She is open to having many children.
14. She opens our home for fellowship.
15. She prepares tasty meals for our home and those in need.
16. She lets me monologue.
17. She is a gifted musician.
18. She is willing to stay home with our children.
19. She home schools.
20. She enjoys reading.
21. She engages in intellectually stimulating conversations.
22. She is faithful.
23. She respects my authority.
24. She is gentle to the touch.
25. She helps me learn piano and to read music.
26. She prays with me.
27. She is sympathetic to others with small children.
28. She delights in my remodeling skills.
29. She strives to be more like Christ.
30. She loves me.

That's better than any card Hallmark could put out! Yeah, I was all warm and fuzzy inside. :-)

After lunch I went shopping, alone, to use my gift cards I got as Christmas presents and bought some more workout gear and a new dress. :-) (By the way I've lost all of Shiphrah's baby weight and now I'm working on losing the left over 10 pounds from Moriah and Lily's pregnancies. I only have another 15 lbs. until I reach my final goal.)

Then we went to my Mom's house for a special dinner: BBQ ribs, corn pudding, stewed tomatoes, and rolls. For dessert, she made a cream cheese poundcake with homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries! Ooh, so good!

Do I feel older? No not much. But I do realize that, given my Dad's family history, this could be the mid-point of my life. Not any of my Dad's siblings have celebrated their 60th birthdays, all died in their 50's. I figure that if I make it to 60 (with or without major issues like cancer), then I'm doing really good.

Long Time, No See

I am so sorry that I have been very much absent lately. Those three little girls in the left sidebar and that handsome man above them have been keeping me pretty busy around here.

Moriah had her third birthday the day after Thanksgiving. We celebrated it after the Thanksgiving meal on Thursday while all the Anderson and MacDonald families were in attendance. Moriah had a great time dressing up in a new dress, getting her hair and nails done and wearing new shoes and tiara. She is a princess diva. :-D

Lily is about the same as she was a few months ago. She's not made any significant strides to or away from anything. It's great that amidst all that is changing with other stuff that we have someone who is staying the same. :-)

Shiphrah turned four months old yesterday! It's hard to believe that it's been that long. She's the one I don't want to see get any bigger (because I know that toddler-hood is coming down the pike). Her hand-eye coordination has developed wonderfully and she is reaching out for things she sees. She has been able to belly laugh for some time and it is wonderful. :-) She is sweeter than a 10 lb. bag of sugar: almost always able to smile.

All of us just returned from traveling to Louisville, KY. We had a great time with some friends, Bryant and Hannah, that we missed the last time we visited and were able to relax far more by scheduling a lot fewer activities. We returned the violins I borrowed for trial and spent the majority of the time hanging out. On the way back we stopped in Whitwell, TN to hang out with another one of our dear friends, Channing, and made a very easy drive back down to L'ville. I'm very pleased with how the girls did on the long drive - very little screaming and much less fighting. I guess they're getting accustomed to long rides in the car. I can't complain.

Road Trip! Destination: Louisville

I'm so excited! I've been busily cleaning, laundering and packing away today for our family trip to Louisville, KY. We leave tomorrow around 9 a.m. and arrive at our good brother-friend Toby's house around 5 or 6 p.m. We're excited to catch up with him.

Wednesday we hope to take the girls to the Creation Museum! I can't wait to see their faces and reactions, especially to the dinosaurs and all the educational videos. I'm excited to see it again, myself. Jeramy has 4 guest passes for life, so we get in free!

Thursday I really want to go to the chapel service at Southern Seminary! I miss the worship there! Everyone sings and listens with their full heart and mind there -- it's awesome! I should have relished it more while I was there. Then later Thursday evening is the devotional signing where I get to meet the other authors and sign a few books! What a unique opportunity! Then we will quickly leave and head down to Whitwell, TN just outside of Chattanooga and stay with our good, good brother, Channing (aka "The Chan-Man"). Then Friday we'll return back to Lawrenceville.

Ahh, I'm so excited! At some point while we visit we have plans to hook up with my old violin teacher and I also hope to try out some different (more expensive) violins that I might purchase. I feel like a kid in a candy store! I also want to eat at Lynn's Paradise Cafe and get sorbet at Graeter's. I have never seen a more unique restaurant like the Paradise Cafe. It's almost like a trendy, cool, creative designer twist on Cracker Barrel. (Wait until you see some pictures.) And Graeter's is a French Pot ice cream shop and it's oooooohhhhhh so good! Better than anything anywhere, except Carl's in Fredericksburg, VA.

A Book Signing!

About 18 months ago, I was approached by a woman from SBTS as a female alumni to submit a devotional on an excerpt from the Psalms. I did so and it has been published and all of the authors have been invited to return to Southern's campus for a book signing Thursday, October 14th, during Heritage Week. Jeramy, the girls and I will be heading up to Louisville and take advantage of this unique opportunity! The book is titled: Women at Southern: A Walk Through Psalms (ISBN 9780984065707). The book cost is $25 and the proceeds go to an endowment fund that generates scholarships for women. Let me know if you would like to purchase a copy to have signed. If you want to buy a copy, let me know (and send me the $$).

Read the copy of what I submitted HERE.

Callie's Giveaway

Callie over at Callie Gets Skinny is having a giveaway for a $45 gift card to CSN online store. Head on over to watch her go from flab to fab and encourage her along the way.

Help!

I need to find a new pediatrician's office in Lawrenceville, Snellville or Lilburn. I may be willing to drive to northern Duluth or Suwanee if they're really good. This is what I'm looking for:

• A real person answers when you call (or a real person within one minute);
• Separate sick and well child waiting areas;
• Child is triaged from the waiting area in 15 min or less;
• Ability to bring multiple children for appointments at the same time or back-to-back;
• Professional, courteous, time-efficient office staff, nurses and doctors;
• Doctors and nurses listen to questions and concerns without rushing the parents;
• Efficient check-out process;
• Ability to schedule the next appointment after any lapse of time - up to 6 months or a year;
• At least one male doctor in the practice;
• Some lab work done in the office (would be nice, but not a make or break thing); and
• No more than 20 min drive from my house.

Please help me out if you know or have heard of a practice meeting these requirements. Since having children the only place like this one has been Bulloch Pediatrics in Statesboro. They were awesome. I haven't found another practice like this one since moving. :-(

A Give-Away Is Coming!

I'm very excited to have my first give-away! Not yet, but in honor of my 500th post, only a few more to go. I can't really keep it a secret! :-D I'll try though, but I will give you a hint, in the form of a song.

"In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.