The Roller Coaster Ride of Life

I feel like life is a crazy roller coaster these days.  From great heights to distant lows in a matter of seconds.  This morning I received a call that my friend Mark Conway was rushed to the hospital and within an hour of that call I was told he was gone.  This was the second Monday in a row that I lost a good friend.  Still excited about some things that happened in my life on Sunday, Monday was promising to be a pretty good day and then in a matter of seconds I felt a great sorrow and sadness on behalf of my brothers and sisters at Zion Baptist Church in Brownsville, TN and especially for Mark's wife Lisa and their 4 children. 

It's a times like the past two Mondays that I am vividly reminded of the reality and hope of my faith.  In fact, if I were forced to boil the hope and message of my faith down to one word it would have to be ADOPTION.  That's right, the Christian faith is all about God's relentless pursuit and calling of sinners (of which I am one) into a saving relationship with Himself.  Adoption is the word that reminds me that though I once was an enemy of God, I now enjoy the favored status of a son.

Thank you God for Adopting me and calling me by Your name.

Please pray with me for Lisa Conway and her children as well as Zion Baptist Church.  May they experience and find strength in the sufficient grace and mercy of God in this time of sadness and heartache.

Better Late Than Never

So Saturday I promised you a post on Sunday night - well I guess it's officially Monday now, but better late than never, right?


Some days it seems like things are right on track and some days your left wondering where things went wrong. Today is definitely one of those days where it seems like things are on the right track. To begin with before Sunday School I was told that one of the members of Team Taiwan was donating two tickets to the Steelers vs. Chiefs game on November 20th with two nights at the Courtyard by Marriott in Kansas City. Then throughout the day we've had times where people told us about someone they knew who had bought a ticket to the auction or something of that nature. Then tonight when we got home from church Gina received one of the most encouraging emails we'd received to date.


I want to tell you more and plan to do so tomorrow as I will be working from home most of the day since they are painting and recarpeting our church offices tomorrow and Tuesday. Please don't forget to tell me if you still need tickets to the chili supper and auction. Advance tickets are $5 and $10 at the door. Childcare is also available if you can let us know early.

Autcion Items Awaiting Your Bid

So here's a list of the items that will be available at the auction next Saturday - November 5th.  There are several more items we are expecting to come in this week, including a number of mystery gifts.  Whatever your likes and wants there's definitely something here for you!  Let me know if you need tickets - of course you can buy them at the door, but save yourself $5 to add to your bidding and prebuy your tickets this week. 

Check back tomorrow night for a new post.

Services

• $1,000 in legal services – Jackson, TN
• Tax Preparation – Jackson, TN
• Auto Detail by Precision Auto – Medina, TN
• Photo Package from Amy Doyle Photography – Medina, TN
• Oil Changes form Serra Chevrolet – Jackson, TN

Recreation

• NASCAR Tickets with passes to DuPont sponsor tent, pit row passes, and box seats
• Weekend Chalet in Gatlinburg
• Guided Duck Hunt with Spike Jones
• Movie & Popcorn Basket – Take One Video Medina, TN
• Cookout Party Pack
• Porch Swing
• One Round of Golf and Cart at Jackson National Golf Course

Food

• Homemade Hummingbird Cake
• Lasagna dinner for six including salad, bread, and dessert
• Specialty Pizzas from Mom & Pop’s Pizza – Medina, TN
• Large Pizza from Rhodes Diner – Medina, TN
• Several Gift Baskets from Tastefully Simple
• Box of Candy from Candyland – Milan, TN
• Basket of Jams and Syrup from Greenway Nursery – Milan, TN
• Dinner for two at Longhorn Steakhouse – Jackson, TN
• Two Gift Certificates from Outback Steakhouse – Jackson, TN

Misc

• Handmade Quilt – made by Mabel Ramsey
• Table Arrangement by Medina Flowers and Gifts
• Christmas Wreath by All Occasions Florist
• Christmas Wreaths by friends
• 10 x 12 Area Rug
• 8 place setting silverware and 5 serving piece set
• 2 Outfits w/ monogramming by Just Say Sew
• Pottery from 2 Blessed Designs
• Set of serving dishes
• Necklace and Bracelet from Leigh Nants – Milan, TN
• Gift Basket From Hometown Pharmacy – Medina, TN
• Thomas Kincaid Decorative Plate
• Various Jewelry items

So It's Been A While . . .

It has been a while since our last update, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been a ton of progress!


To begin with we are now number 13 on the Taiwan wait list.  Now I'm in no way superstitious nor do I even believe in luck, but number 13 and two very cool fundraisers in the works - is there any real possibility of things not going well?


Our first fundraiser exceeded our expectations.  We had planned a yard sale and ended up with a flea market instead - it was awesome (except for that whole getting up at 4:30 a.m. thing)!  We are so thankful for so many people helping out by donating, getting others to donate, organizing, pricing, and working the sale.  So if you are reading this blog and we haven't already said thank you, let me say "Thank You!"


Now on to our next two fundraisers.


The Puzzle - below is a picture of our puzzle that we will be framing and hanging in our baby's room when he/she (they if Eliza has her way) comes home.  The way that works is you can sponsor a piece of the puzzle for $10 - we'll have your name put on the back and you will always be remembered as part of the team that brought our child home!  The Puzzle will be on display at the auction.

The Auction - on November 5th at 5:15 p.m. the doors will open and at 5:30 p.m. we will begin serving dinner at the chili supper and auction to be held in the fellowship hall at Medina FBC.  The live auction will begin at 6:00 p.m.  Tickets are $5 for adults and childcare is available (we need to know if your kids are coming ASAP).  The chili will be great, but the auction is going to be awesome!  We will have three kinds of items up for auction:  silent auction, live auction like you're used to seeing, and a mystery auction.  We already have 2 tickets to the NASCAR race in Bristol with passes to the Dupont sponsor tent and a special meal with the opportunity to meet Jeff Gordon; up to $1,000 in legal services, and a weekend getaway in a chalet in Gatlinburg.  We are working on getting up a list of special auction items on the blog so check back often!  If you or someone you know would like to make a donation for the auction please let us know and we'll be glad to get with you about the item(s).

We hope to see you there!