Happily Ever After

Wedding Laughter

2010-02-11T15:15:00.001-05:00

Too funny!

http://

Peace in the home

2009-10-21T16:43:00.001-04:00

The ability to persuade and the desire for peace can be wonderful elements in a woman and a blessing to her home when she's operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. B. Moore

Meet and Greet

2009-08-22T08:42:00.007-04:00

The 2009-2010 newlywed class began on August 16th. We meet each Sunday morning at

8:45 am in room B2032 at Shandon Baptist Church. It is our prayer that we all have marriages that bring glory to God and draw others to his son Jesus Christ.

Please meet the new members of our class. We look forward to getting to know everyone. Derek and Jodi Hawkins
Charlie and Suzanne Davenport
Ryan and Jenny Turner

Jonathan and Laura Lee

Jonathan and Michelle Peer

Jonathan and Lee Patterson

Jason and Lauren Cone

Derrick and Jenna Powers-Dingus

David and Roxanne Ancheta

Jeremy and Christen Warren

Whit and Allison Morris

Chad Hoffman and Letitia Ard (to be married on Dec.5th)

Lake Day 2009

2009-07-26T21:25:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Guys cooking for the Gals

2009-07-17T19:01:00.006-04:00

The guys agreed to cook dinner for all the ladies. It was such a fun time. The food was yummy and all the ladies agree that the men can cook any time.
Margaret and Lindsey

Allyson waiting for homemade ice cream.

Barbara and Laura

Earl and Brent (Peanut butter ice cream. YUM!)

Brent, Jonathan, Kynn

Rad and Hudson
Laura and Cynthia

Margaret and Warren

Julie and Matt

Date night

2009-06-09T15:35:00.003-04:00

One of our former newlywed ladies has shared a good idea for a date night during the summer. See the below note from Kitty Hurdle. Thanks Kitty.

Hey there!
I wanted to let you know, the church plant we have been a part of—Columbia Crossroads Downtown—is sponsoring “Movies in the Park” every Friday night at Finlay Park.
The activities begin at 8, movie starts at sunset. There will be free popcorn and free drinks.
I think it will be a really fun date night or family outing!

Here are the movies if you are interested:
June 12-Bedtime Stories (PG)
June 19-Tale of Despereaux (G)
June 26-Hotel for Dogs (PG)
July 3-High School Musical 3 (G)
July 10-Horton Hears a Who! (G)
July 17-Confessions of a Shopaholic (PG)
July 24-Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG)
July 31-Monsters VS Aliens (PG)
Aug 14-Race to Witch Mountain (PG)

Pray that your summer is full of rest and refreshment in the Lord!

Kitty C. Hurdle

Home Organization

2009-05-25T15:01:00.007-04:00

Our ladies Bible study recently had a guest teacher, Luanne Ozmint, to come and teach us on the subject of home organization. Luanne taught and encouraged all us with Titus 2:3.

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be workers of the home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no none will malign the word of God."

Also, we were reminded of what God said in Genesis 2:18.

"The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Our role as a wife is to be a helper for our husbands and to be workers in our home. Thank you Luanne for the encouragement and the reminders of how we can honor our Lord by serving our husbands and by keeping an organized home.

Luanne

Lindsey won a prize.

A notebook to use for planning the daily schedule.

Amy won a file to keep those papers that need a home. They do not belong on the counter or nightstand. :)

Update on Matt Davis

2009-05-08T10:18:00.003-04:00

(PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY.)

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been a little while since our last update, so we wanted to check in with everyone. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. We are very grateful, and we know that God is working! Matt went back to the Retinal Specialist two weeks ago. The doctor said that there hasn't been much change in his eyes. The hemorrhages are still there, although the blood flow is better. The doctor thinks that his body will absorb the hemorrhages once all of his blood levels return to normal. Matt will go back for another follow-up appointment in two months. His vision is about the same. It really doesn't affect his everyday life at all, but we are still continuing to pray for complete healing. He had a check-up with the Oncologist three weeks ago, and this was the first time that almost all of his bloodwork was within normal range!! His platelets are a little low, but the doctor is going to monitor that. She didn't seem concerned. She was glad to see that his white cells, red cells, and hemoglobin were all within normal range. Matt is doing great! His energy level is keeping me on my toes. :) He is playing basketball a couple of mornings a week, as well as ultimate frisbee on Sunday afternoons. We continue to pray for healing every day and ask God to use us to touch others. Thank you so much for your prayers and support!!!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Love,

Matt and Julie

Todd and Erin Carroll

2009-05-03T15:12:00.003-04:00

Happy 1st Anniversary to Todd and Erin Carroll

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

2009-04-27T10:38:00.003-04:00

HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY

BILL AND STEPHANIE HRISKO

Stephanie ADORES Bill! :)

Prom 2009

2009-04-25T11:48:00.005-04:00

Ahh Yes! The newlywed class had their very own prom. All over Columbia, high schools were having proms and so we got in on the fun too. This awesome group of newlyweds love to have fun. We are so thankful for the friendships that have formed that will surely last a lifetime. Emily and Caroline
Lindsey and Joey

Emily and Hudson

Amy and Brent

Warren, Margaret, Tyler, Caroline, Hudson, Emily Kynn, Lorie, Cynthia, Joey, Lindsey, Bill, Stephanie, Brent, Amy

Let me know if there are any other pictures that we should post!. We'd love to see them.

A funny song

2009-04-20T22:16:00.003-04:00

To all the husbands: These are things you do not want to say to your wife. (:)

Tim Hawkins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK2OakMoW_c

Fighting Fair in Marriage

2009-04-20T10:38:00.004-04:00

Yesterday we discussed rules for Fighting Fair in Marriage. We had great discussion and a fun time laughing together. All of us, at one time or another, deal with conflict. How awesome that we have a God who helps us and encourages us in all areas of our marriage. Listed below are a few rules to practice. (Next week we will look at dealing with anger. How about askingGod if you have an angry heart. If you do, he specializes in revealing your anger, forgiving, and setting you free to experience his love and peace. He is good!)

RULES FOR FIGHTING FAIR IN MARRIAGE

1. Face each other.
2. Keep the fight to one issue at a time.
3. Have respect for the other person.
4. Remain focused on the present.
5. Stay focused on understanding the other person first and being understood second.
6. Focus on problem not the person.
7. Avoid distractions.
8. Keep it clean and tactful. (No name calling)
9. Take a time out if required.
10. You can not refuse to talk about a problem.
11. Make an appointment for discussion. (Do this if the other person is very tired, hungry, etc. Timing is very important sometimes.)
12. Don't interrupt.
13. Remember that your reality is not the only reality.

***Remember that you married him/her because you loved him/her. Some times you need to get back to the basics.

(source unknown)

Thank you to Stephanie

2009-04-10T14:07:00.001-04:00

A big thank you to Stephanie for heading up our meal to the internationals. We appreciate all of your service. Also, thanks to everyone who provided the food. :)

Quarterly Review #6

2009-04-07T16:18:00.002-04:00

This is the last post on quarterly reviews. I would like to thank Danny and Laura for sharing their marriage with all of us. It is our hope that you have found encouragement for your marriage. May God bless you.

Welcome to guests writers Danny and Laura Stiller

OUR FAVORITES & WHY

By Laura Stiller

Laura's Favorite Quarterly Reviews:

Camping at Myrtle Beach - I LOVED this quarterly review because we didn't have a schedule or agenda. Our only goals were to eat, play together on the beach, rent a tandem bicycle and read. In fact, the second day of our quarterly review was spent entirely on the beach playing in the water, reading under an umbrella, talking whenever we felt like it, and eating snacks.

PREP Marriage Video Series - This was a very simple quarterly review. We rented a cabin with a TV and DVD player in "The-Middle-of-No-Where," Oklahoma. We packed all of our own food so we wouldn't have to leave, and we just hung out there for two nights. We watched the PREP dvd series and even took the time to practice the communication techniques they taught. It's alot hard to apply these in real life, in the middle of a fight - but this dvd series gave us communication tools and techniques for working through arguments/differences that we will use for the rest of our lives.

Danny's Favorite Quarterly Reviews:

Christmas Parade in Gatlinburg, TN - Danny likes this quarterly review because it was cold, Christmassy and there was fake snow all over this city and in the Christmas parade! He also enjoyed our drive through the Smokey Mountain National Park and stopping to play in the river.

Kerrville Kayaking - This was just a relaxing camping weekend where Danny enjoyed getting on the river and watching the sunset.To read about all of our quarterly reviews, click here.

Danny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding plans and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

Quarterly Review #5

2009-04-06T14:06:00.003-04:00

Welcome guest writers, Danny and Laura Stiller

SPECIFIC QUARTERLY REVIEW IDEAS

by Laura Stiller

Each of our quarter reviews look different (I'll get to specific quarterly review ideas in a minute), but this has kept them fresh and fun for us. Some of our trips have been strictly for play. Any talk of our marriage just flows, it's not structured or planned. Some of our weekend trips have been fully structured complete with an agenda, discussion topics and intentional questions - sometimes even with homework (or books to read BEFORE the quarterly review in preparation for a discussion).We've needed both of these at different times in our marriage. Danny has been stellar at discerning what types of things to plan for our quarterly reviews and deciding what kind of tone our week needs to take.Let me give you a few suggestions. Please keep in mind that each marriage/couple is vastly different, so part of what will make quarterly reviews beneficial for you is how you tweak and customize them to your needs and personalities.

Free/Cheap Activities:

tubing
outdoor movie
camp out
find a local event rent a tandem bicycle
go back to places with memories
watercolor
go site-seeing with your camera - take pictures together (this is on our "to-do" list)

To Foster Deep Conversation:
attend a marriage conference
plan your future together by reverse engineering your life
take & discuss temperament spiritual gifts, leadership and/or personality tests
watch the PREP Marriage Video Series explore career goals/dreams together

Sample Discussion Questions:
What has been the biggest adjustment being married?
What has been the hardest struggle in our marriage?
What have you struggled with personally since getting married?
What has been most unexpected thing about marriage?
What has been the biggest blessing since getting married?
What do you want to focus on/improve next quarter (marriage & personally)?
Things we've learned since getting married.
What's your spiritual life been like this quarter?
What are some things you've prayed for this quarter?
What are some ways that I have (and maybe currently do) hurt you?
What can I do so that I don't hurt you anymore.
Establish some "Action Steps" for building/maintaining intimacy (in anticipation of a busier semester).
Write down 10 things that make you feel loved.
What are our spiritual, physical, emotional, social and intellectual goals for the next Quarter?
What have our challenging/stressful circumstances been this quarter & how can we relieve the stress? (ie: packing lunches, planning menus, doing laundry, etc.)
What are our prayer needs this quarter (because if we don't feel like we need God then we won't go to Him)?
What is the most humanly impossible thing you'll ask God to do this year?
Where are some places we'd like to try to go on future quarterly reviews? (ie: Grand Canyon, West Coast, New Orleans - we dream big folks)
What did we accomplish this quarter that we had set as goals last quarter?
What's improved in our relationship this quarter?
And that, my new friends, is the book The Stillers have written for themselves on Quarterly Reviews since sitting on a worn leather couch the summer of 2005. It is still being written, with many editions to come.

Danny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding plans and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

Quarterly Review #4

2009-03-28T20:55:00.001-04:00

Welcome guest writers, Danny and Laura Stiller (see previous posts)

PLANNING QUARTERLY REVIEWS
by Laura Stiller

I wish quarterly reviews planned themselves, just like I wish weekly date nights would plan themselves. But they don't.I've learned two things about quarterly reviews since being married: they don't all have to follow a strict format/schedule/agenda AND it's absolutely wonderful to let Danny plan them, even if he forgets to pack something essential and it is a little more disorganized than I would have done it.

PLANNING - DATES/LOCATIONS:
We usually plan each quarterly review 3-6 months in advance. To start, we sit down and brainstorm places we'd like to go. We go all out and dream big (for example: the Grand Canyon and Alaska are currently on our list of "Places we'd love to go to on a Quarterly Review" - and need I remind you we live in TEXAS!) Sometimes we have a long list, sometimes we both agree on one place right away. Sometimes we can't eliminate a location because we REALLY want to go there - so we just plan more than one quarterly review at once.
Second, we look at our Google Calendar (which I LOVE because I can color-code our life to my little heart's content!) and block out the weekend(s) we want for our Quarterly Review. These dates are guarded carefully, and we don't reschedule them (because chances are they wouldn't get rescheduled) and we don't plan anything else during that time.

PLANNING - THE DETAILS:
We then talk through the logistics of the weekend and communicate any expectations we might have. Here are a sample of questions we ask each other:

Is this going to be a weekend geared more towards relaxing and playing or for planning, communicating and discussing?

How are we going to travel? car/plane

Do we want to plan lots of site-seeing activities to do, or do we just want to relax with no schedule at all?

We also discuss finances and lay out a budget for each quarterly review. Here is what this usually looks like for us:

How much is this trip going to cost? (break it down and get specific - try to include every expenditure in a budget)

Are we eating out or bringing our own food?

How much are plane tickets? hotels? entertainment?

Will we spend any money on materials/conference registration/etc?

We also assign tasks to insure that all the preparations are taken care of. For example:

Who's responsible for booking flights (if necessary)?

Who will make hotel reservations or reserve a campsite?

Who is going to plan activities to do over the weekend?

Who's in charge of planning meals, grocery shopping or finding restaurants/coffee shops?

Now, the only thing that Danny is ALWAYS in charge of is discussion questions for our weekend. Even, if we decided that we need to just relax and play together for a quarterly review, Danny will still have at least a few questions for us to talk about. He has taken ownership of this part of our marriage, and I appreciate his leadership. If I read something interesting in a marriage book, or come across good questions on a blog, I am always free to bring them to the table during our quarterly review, but the responsibility for guiding the depth of our quarterly review falls on Danny's shoulders.

Danny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding plans and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

Quarterly Review #3

2009-03-24T14:15:00.005-04:00

Welcome guest writers, Danny and Laura Stiller. (See previous posts)

WHY DO QUARTERLY REVIEWS?

BY LAURA STILLER

After 3 1/2 years of marriage, 14 quarterly reviews and countless date nights, our rendezvous every three months have taken on various shapes and forms. Regardless of where we go or what we plan, each quarterly review is a time for us to get away from the routines of normal, everyday life; spend focused time just with each other; and communicate. Sometimes, when we are in the middle of several particularly stressful or tiring weeks, it's just enough boost to know that we already have the next quarterly review on the calendar. It also helps me to know that if something in our marriage is not functioning just right (our schedule, our jobs, our commitments, our meal planning, whatever) that we have a weekend planned specifically geared towards tweaking and improving things. Quarterly Reviews give me hope that our marriage will not get stuck in a rut. I don't ever want to wake up one morning and ask myself, how did I get here? How did things get this bad in our marriage? Could we get stuck in a quarterly review rut, where they are no longer serving their purpose - of course, but we are praying against any kind of "ruts" in our marriage.

Danny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding plans and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

Quarterly Review #2

2009-03-20T16:26:00.003-04:00

Welcome to guest writers Laura and Danny Stiller. (see previous post)

Quarterly Review #2

By Laura Stiller

Danny and I (Laura) first heard about "Quarterly Reviews" during our pre-marital counseling in College Station, Texas. We sat next to each other on a brown leather couch and listened as our pastor told us we needed to have weekly date nights, quarterly get-aways, and yearly anniversary celebrations. Well, I wasn't going to argue with the idea that we needed to go stay in a hotel every three months, and Danny, being ever analytical and introspective, loved the thought of analyzing and refining our marriage.We knew no one else who did "quarterly reviews, there was no blueprint to follow, so, after twelve short weeks of marriage, we set out to make up some stuff on our own. Danny made hotel reservations in Raleigh-Durham, and we decided we'd sip coffee at Barnes & Noble while "analyzing" our marriage. Now, you must know something about us, we cannot walk into Barnes & Noble without each first gathering a huge stack of books to peruse. Well, Danny blew my expectations for our first quarterly review right out of the water when he walked back to the cafe with a HUGE stack of sex books. Great. And I thought we were going to talk about "things we learned since being married" or "things we'd like to improve in our marriage." I guess I had my answer from Danny without any further discussion.Over the next few blogs I want to explain a little bit of why we do quarterly reviews, how we plan for our quarterly reviews (including some practical suggestions you can do yourself), and finally share some of our favorite quarterly reviews to date.

Laura StillerDanny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding plans and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

Quarterly Review - #1

2009-03-18T21:30:00.006-04:00

We are thrilled to introduce our dear friends Danny and Laura Stiller. These are our friends who introduced us to the idea of Marriage Quarterly Reviews. Our marriage has benefited from following their example and going on our own Quarterly Reviews. We know that you will enjoy and learn from Danny and Laura. Stay tune. There will be 6 posts on this subject. A huge thank you to Danny and Laura.

SHEPHERDING YOUR WIFE THROUGH QUARTERLY REVIEWS

by Danny Stiller

Danny and Laura Stiller were married on August 27, 2005. They fell in love while leading an inner city ministry together after college in Bryan, Texas. Two weeks before their wedding, while Laura was busy finalizing wedding planws and dreaming of marital bliss, Danny decided they needed to move to Greenville, SC for a better job opportunity and to pay off debt FASTER. Somehow, during their first two years of marriage, they moved four times, and squeezed there in the middle was a year in Columbia, SC and the Harris' newlywed Sunday School class. They are now half-way through the four years it takes to get a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and are maintaining their sanity with date nights, quarterly reviews, and lots of hearty "communication." They blog regularly at: thestillers.blogspot.com.

I want to let you know I don’t have everything figured out when it comes to being a husband. But there is one thing I have resolved to do in my marriage, and that is to be involved. I have and will continue to make mistakes, hurt my wife and screw things up I - I can live with this. But what I cannot live with is not being involved in the life and affairs of my family.
In up-coming posts, my wife will be sharing with you a habit that we have developed that we call Quarterly Reviews. She will tell you how we came up with this idea, and how we go about doing them. Before those are posted, I wanted to start by addressing the husbands that might be reading.
Husbands have a responsibility to shepherd their wives. Since you probably don’t wake up in the morning to go tend sheep, or know anyone who does, I want to share some thoughts I have received from older men about what it means to shepherd your wife.
Shepherding means to cover, protect, counsel, guide, challenge, call out, confront, comfort and encourage. My challenge to you is to take this information about quarterly reviews, make it your own, initiate a plan with your wife, begin to cultivate your marriage, shepherd and engage your wife in the process and start being involved.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED THE BIBLICAL BASIS SHEPHERDING YOUR WIFE:
In 1 Peter 5:1-4, Peter is addressing the elders of churches and instructing them to shepherd the flock that is in their care. In verse four it says, “Then when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that never fades away." The Chief Shepherd is Jesus.
Keeping this picture of Jesus as the Chief Shepherd in mind, I would like to look at Ephesians 5:25-29. Here, husbands are called to love their wives like Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her. In verse 28, husbands are commanded to take care of their own bodies, feeding it and taking care of it. Christ shepherds the church, feeding it and taking care of it; we do this for our own bodies; and we are to do this for our wives.
For more ways to shepherd your wife and for further teaching on authentic masculinity go here to download the podcast series “A Man and His Wife” (clicking on it in the right hand column).

Fellowship Time

2009-03-10T21:51:00.003-04:00

A few pictures from our night out to Moe's and dessert at Cynthia and Earl's house.

Four on the couch!

Brent and Amy

Emily and Hudson

Brooke and Jonathan

Cynthia and EarlBobby and Marlene

John

Good to Great Marriage Edition Session 2

2009-02-23T16:14:00.003-05:00

1. Last Week Recap

a. Great Marriages Are A Process
b. The Process Starts With Acceptance, Evaluation, & Communication
c. You Grow By Taking Responsibility and Committing To Forward Movement
d. Forgiveness, Grace, and Unconditional Love Are The Foundation To build On

2. Why Don't We Grow - Pride and Fear (Pride can be fear in disguise)

a. It Blocks Honest Self-Evaluation
b. It Closes Off Communication.
c. It Wrecks

3. What Causes Pride and Fear Issues

a. Learned Coping Behaviors (We act out what we have been taught)
b. Past Pain & Hurt (Some may have pain bottled up. We can't put our pain off on our spouse. You must deal with it to move from Good to Great.
c. Disbelief in God and His Word

4. How Does Pride and Fear Play Out In Our Daily Lives

a. Denial Of Problems: Silent Death
b. Deflection Of Issue: Argumentative Death

5. The Solution To Pride And Fear - Humility & Trust
a. Admit You Are broken
b. Confess Your Brokenness To God and To Your Spouse
c. Drop The Masks And Talk Openly With Love and Grace
d. Step forward Trusting God With Yourself And Your Spouse

HOMEWORK

1. Find a way this week to do something toghether as a couple where you can talk. Ideas could include dinner, a walk, coffee and dessert.

2. Have a conversation about an area in your marriage that you have avoided. Make sure that your conversation avoids any fear of pride tactics. Bathe your conversation in forgiveness, grace, and acceptance while requesting loving truth from one another.

3. Commit to one another to grow in at least one specific area in your marriage. Make sure that you know how you are going to measure that growth.

4. Grade Yourself In These Areas with a number between 1-7. Grade Your Spouse Also. Compare your results and then discuss the differences in your scores. A Grade of 1 = poor and 7 = Excellent
Loving, Open Communication, Forgiving, Acceptance, Blaming, Patient

5. Agree to pray for one antoher this week. Ask your spouse how you can pray for them.

6. Do something for your spouse this week that shows your commitment to this journey.

A good reminder - For wives

2009-02-22T21:44:00.001-05:00

Scripture as a Guide for Prayer
written by Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31b NIV).
Friend to Friend
Valentine's Day has just passed and I want to offer just one more devotion of the subject of marriage - how to love well.

Most of us married women would agree that we long to be the woman of our husband's dreams. But I have a question. Why? Is it so we can get what we want in the long run? Is it so that when he sees how irresistible we are he'll magically become the man of our dreams meeting our every need?

Those are good questions -- tough questions. But becoming the woman of his dreams won't happen until we decide we would rather win his heart than win the battle, do right than be right, give more than get more, wrap our arms around him instead of wrap him around our little finger.

Becoming the woman of his dreams involves sacrifice. It involves respecting him as a man and a leader, adoring him as the one who makes your heart skip a beat, initiating intimate friendship through creating commonalities, safeguarding your marriage by putting him second only to God, encouraging him in his pursuits and dreams, and sexually fulfilling him. Many times this means denying ourselves and putting our man's needs above our own.
Did you realize we can even pray for our husbands with wrong motives? James said, "When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:3). Ouch! Does that mean I can't pray that Steve will change his mind about that new den sofa I want? Hmmm.

The goal for praying for our husband is not to get them to do what we want but for them to do what God wants. Hollywood tells us that we will be happy when we "find the right person." However, I have discovered that a successful marriage occurs when we become the right person. "For years I prayed that God would change my husband," Denise told me. "Our marriage went from bad to worse and we ended separated and headed for divorce. Then I began to read about what it meant to be a godly wife. In the world's eyes, I was doing a pretty good job. In God's eyes, I was missing the mark. So I began to pray -- this time for my own heart. God gave me the answer to my prayer to change my husband...He changed me."
How do we begin to pray like the woman of our man's dreams? A good place to start is by looking at the Bible's definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. I love to use Scripture as a guide for prayer, so I'm going to pattern today's prayer after this wonderful chapter on love. As a matter-of-fact, the verse that introduces this chapter says it well, "And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31b).

Let's Pray
If I teach Bible study classes, volunteer for the church women's ministry, and sing in the choir, but do not love my husband, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have a college degree, high paying job, and successful career, but do not love my husband, I am emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. If I have faith that can move mountains, am quick to pray for those in need, and even have half the Bible memorized, but do not love my husband, I am disobedient and do not please God.

If I keep a spotless house, maintain a well manicured lawn, and prepare nutritionally balanced meals, but do not love my husband, it is all for naught. Hired hands can do as much. Lord, help me to be patient. Help me to be kind. I pray that I will not envy others who have seemingly happier marriages and husbands that are more helpful around the house, thoughtful, or romantic.

I pray that I will never try to lift myself up by putting my husband down. Lord, I pray that I will not be a proud woman who refuses to listen to her husband, who always has to have the last word, who always thinks her way is best. I pray that I will not be rude to my husband with curt comments, disregard his needs, and be ungrateful for all he does and is, but treat him with the respect and honor that the king of a castle deserves.

I pray that I will not be self seeking, always thinking about what is best for me, but thinking of what would be best for my husband. I pray that I will not be angered easily, not hold a grudge, not keep a record of wrongs, not plan ways to retaliate, and not use my tongue as a weapon to cause pain. I pray that I will not rejoice and say "I told you so" when things don't work out the way my husband hoped.

Lord, above all, I pray that my husband will see me as his chief cheerleader who desires to rejoice with him in his victories, both big and small. He will see me as one who longs to protect our marriage and our love. Help me to create a warm and loving environment in which he feels safe, wanted, and revered. I pray that you will give me endurance when things get tough. Help the word divorce to never enter my mind or cross my lips as an option. Lord, I know that love never fails and that You never fail. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to give me the endurance to stand up under trials and love my husband as You would have me love him -- till death do us part. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Today's application step is very simple. Open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 13 and pray those words over yourself as you love your husband.

Shandon University

2009-02-17T21:11:00.005-05:00

Two or three times a year, Shandon Baptist Church, offers a discipleship/Bible Study on Sunday evenings called Shandon University or Shandon U. Dates for Spring semester are Feb. 15 - March 15. Everyone is invited to participate in the courses.

Kynn and I are taking the course Good to Great Marriage Edition taught by Steve Turner. Below are our notes from the first session.

1. Great Marriages Are A Process. (The process is never ending. It begins when you say "I do" and last until "death do we part".

2. Parts of The Process
a. Acceptance And Grace
b. Honest Evaluation (Be honest about yourself with yourself)
c. Open Communication
d. Individual Responsibility

3. It Starts By Stepping Up
a. Commit To The Journey
b. Allow Faith To Conquer Your Fears
c. Take the Risk To Reap The Reward (Believe that God wants to do a work in you and in your marriage. We are being conformed to the image of his Son.)

4. Confidence Along The Way
a. His Salvation Makes You Accepted and New
i. Acceptance Frees You From Bondage To the Law
ii. Acceptance Builds Trust and Relationship
iii. Acceptance Creates Safety To Be and Experience Ourselves
iv. Acceptance Increases Initiative In Growing
b. His Forgiveness Covers Everything
c. His Love Is Continuous And Everlasting

Class Homework for the Week

1. What are three things you love about your spouse?
2. Find ways this week to tell your spouse how much you appreciate them.
3. What are three ways that you need to improve as a spouse?

Ask your spouse for their feedback on this issue (If You Dare)
4. In what ways (real or perceived) are you not accepting of your spouse?
5. When do you feel unaccepted by your spouse?
6. Discuss with your spouse the fears you have in being open and honest in your communication with one another?
7. What areas of your marriage are you afraid to talk about? Why?
8. Take some time to express your commitment to this journey of making your marriage great!

We were encouraged to push to excellence in all things. Even excellence in our marriage.

There is still time to join this class. I hope you will join us on this journey.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T21:42:00.001-05:00

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

His Needs/Her Needs

2009-02-09T09:08:00.003-05:00

This week let's all concentrate on our spouses need for admiration. Men especially have this need, but wives really appreciate being admired too.

Even if you feel your spouse is not especially admirable at this time, treat him or her as if they were. Begin treating and serving your spouse like a king or queen, just like a VIP.

Verbally - Compliment - exchange complaints for compliments. (Give it a GOOD try at least! :) )
Compliments are like magnets. It can draw you closer to one another.

Intellectually - Ask your spouse for help or advice in areas that he/she is knowledgeable or has much wisdom.

Physically - What could you do that would be a physical help to your spouse? Does he/she need help with their laundry, dishes, etc. Would he/she like you to put your "stuff" away? (make-up off the counter, dishes in the dishwasher)

Showing admiration goes a long way in showing your spouse how much you love them. It puts needed deposits in their LOVE BANK!

Love Sick

2009-02-07T22:27:00.002-05:00

Do you remember when you fell in love. You know, when your heart was beating fast, stomach churning like a whole colony of butterflies had moved in. You know you are in love when

"I climbed up the door

And shut the stairs;

I said my shoes and took off my prayers.

I shut off the bed and climbed into the light.

And all because--

She kissed me good night!"

NOW! That is love sickness. Hope you feel that feeling this week with your spouce. Have fun.

Super Bowl Party

2009-02-03T16:54:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

WELCOME HOME JOEY!

2009-02-03T15:41:00.004-05:00

Rumor has it that Joey Ashcroft is back home. We have not actually seen him, but hear that he is home safe and sound!!!

Joey, we celebrate your homecoming and thank our Lord for your safe return.

The State Newspaper reports:

About 300 airmen returned Saturday to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter after a four-month deployment to Iraq.

"It's good to be home and finally be back with family," said Tech. Sgt. Mark Waldron, who was greeted by his three children, ages 9, 6, and 5.

The Shaw personnel are members of the 55th Fighter Squadron and 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and were deployed in support of the Iraq war. Nine F-16CJs and their pilots returned to the Sumter base Thursday and six more pilots an planes landed Friday.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH!

Meet and Greet

2009-02-03T15:17:00.003-05:00

More New Members

WELCOME

Jamie and Colin Mullins

married May 17, 2008

Derek and Jodi Hawkins
married August 9, 2008

Love Bank, Moses, Worship

2009-01-23T09:58:00.005-05:00

We have so much fun in Sunday School. We are currently seeking God and learning how to meet each others needs within the marriage relationship.

Caroline helped demonstrate the concept of the "love bank". We use chocolate kisses (in the blue basket) and fill the bank (vase) with acts of love. Each day it is important to make deposits into our mate's love bank.

Some examples, hug and kiss as you come and go, compliment each other, help with the dishes, open the car door for your wife (be a gentleman), speak the love languages.

Most important, spend time with God and allow Him to fill your heart with His love. The love you receieve from Him will overflow into your day and it will bless your mate and others.

We had a surprise visit from Moses this past Sunday. He encouraged us to honor God and to honor our husband/wife.

What a blessing to worship together with friends. God is so good to all of us. Praise his name today.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

2009-01-18T20:18:00.003-05:00

February 1 Super Bowl Party

February 8 Welcome Home Joey
Covered Dish Lunch after Church

February 9 Tag (for ladies) 7:00PM

February 20 Sweet Heart Banquet

March 6 Out to Eat, Dessert at Cynthia's

March 14 Goal Setting Seminar(Kynn's office)

March 20-21 Ladies Retreat & Sleepover
Men's Camp Out

March 28 Food From the Heart Project

April 18 Prom

Meet and Greet

2009-01-18T19:08:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our newest members!

Todd and Erin Carroll

Todd and Erin were married on May 3, 2008. We are thrilled to have them join our class. All of us look forward to getting to know them better.

Who is Boss?

2009-01-12T09:02:00.004-05:00

Devotional thought from Dennis Rainey

"Be selfless in the little things. Sometimes I don't want to get out of my favorite chair to help Barbara carry in the groceries, sweep the kitchen or clean a toilet bowl. But it's in these minor, everyday moments that we teach our selfish selves who is boss. This is part of what the Bible means when it tells us to "learn to do good" (Isaiah 1:17)--to constantly choose death to self, to always choose sacrificial love until it becomes our first response. "

Have you ever considered that we must teach our selfish selves who is boss? We must learn to do good. We must tell ourselves that we will not be selfish and we will chose to do good for our spouse.
Ladies, chose today to pick up his clothes (one more time perhaps) or help him with some sort of manly duty around the house. Men, get out of your chair and do the dishes, and yes, clean that toilet. This is sacrificial love. By doing these acts of service, with a happy heart, we are dying to self and declaring who is Boss. Chose today to die to self.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men. Col. 3:23

Meet and Greet

2009-01-10T21:58:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our class. We are glad you have joined us.

Jonathan and Laura Lee

Need Help Saving Money at the Grocery Store?

2009-01-08T15:11:00.005-05:00

Who doesn't need a little help saving money at the grocery store? Beth Moore's daughter, Melissa, has asked for some advice on the Living Proof Blog. ( Wed. Jan. 7th blog entry) You may want to check out all the comments. Have a few minutes on hand. There are a lot of comments to read. I was able to cut $20.00 a month off our phone bill yesterday. We plan on examing all our services to see if there is more unnecessary spending going on. We'll apply that to college text books. YIKES!! LOL Let us know in the comment sections if you have any money saving tips. We can all use them for sure.

His Needs Her Needs

2009-01-04T20:38:00.006-05:00

This morning in Sunday School, we started our lessons from the book, His Needs Her Needs, by Willard F. Harley, Jr. Kynn and I highly recommend that each of you buy this book for your home library. (The public library has this book if you want to check it out for a few weeks.) These lessons are so much fun and we will learn how to affair-proof our marriages and keep the love sizzling by meeting each others needs.

"Do you know your own marital needs? Do you know the marital needs of your spouse?

The needs of men and women are similar, however their priorities are vastly different. Are you able to identify which of the following needs are his and which are hers? Out of the ten marital needs listed below, which are most important to you? In your opinion, which five are most important to your spouse?"

NEEDS
Admiration
Affection
An Attractive Spouse
Conversation
Domestic Support
Family Commitment
Financial Support
Honesty and Openness
Recreational Companionship
Sexual Fulfillment

"We will sort through these needs and discover how identifying and meeting your most important needs will deepen your love and desire for each other. We'll learn how to become irresistible to your spouse."

If you have read this book in the past, we encourage you to pull the book off the shelf and review the above needs. Practice meeting your spouces needs. You'll be glad you did. :)

New class members

2009-01-04T20:27:00.002-05:00

WELCOME TO OUR CLASS

Nicole and Will Merrell

Nicole and Will were married on Cctober 11, 2008. We look forward to getting to know you.

Marriage checkup

2008-12-30T09:49:00.003-05:00

How is Your Marriage Relationship?
Written by JB & Shugie Collingsworth

Have you prayed lately for your relationship, and for God to make you the spouse He wants you to be? Maybe you've wandered from God, or maybe you don't feel as close to your spouse as you should. Pray and earnestly ask God to intervene in your situation.

Just think, if we prayed for our relationships daily and asked for God's intervention in our lives instead of trying to conquer on our own, think how differently things might be. This verse could become reality in our lives: "In everything with prayer and thanksgiving make your requests known unto God." Philippians 4:6.

Stress Can be Hard on Marriage
Stress is tough but also can be an excuse for couples not pursuing wholeness. In the "best of times" you do not have to worry. In the "worst of times," the worst of our personality comes out if we are not controlled by the Holy Spirit. Why do so many couples divorce after the death of a child? It is because stress can take a terrible toll. What are your stress points? What do you need to work on individually and as a couple so that stress does not get the best of you and your relationship?

The Importance of Relationships
The bottom line is that the relationships you have are very important. You live and move because of your relationship to God. If you follow Him, you function daily as He leads. The relationships you build are the most important. I have friends everywhere. I consider relationships above all else in life. I function best when with friends and when I have in-depth friendships. But, most importantly, how do I function with my spouse, my family, and my close friends? Am I treating them as unto the Lord?

Re-evaluate where you are in your marriage relationship. Does your spouse feel left out, or are you placing too much emphasis on your children? The bond of a parent and child should not be stronger than the bond with your spouse. Ask God to be
#1 in your life and make sure your relationship with your spouse is
#2. Your kids will grow up and leave but your spouse stays. Build good things in your marriage now, learning how to see things from His perspective.

Ladies Bible Study

2008-12-28T22:33:00.004-05:00

Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed

by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shiver

Our ladies Bible Study will begin again

Jan. 14th, 6:30 PM

Cynthia's house

Let me know if you need a workbook.

Way to Go Kynn!

2008-12-26T21:42:00.004-05:00

I have been meaning to tell everyone that Kynn finished reading the Bible through (all the way) on December 20th. I am so proud of him.

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness., s that othe man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timmothy 3: 16

Ladies Christmas Ornament Exchange

2008-12-11T14:42:00.012-05:00

Last night, our ladies Bible Study wrapped up 2008 with a Christmas Ornament Exchange party. We began our evening with sharing our prayer requests. What a blessing it is to have a group of believing ladies pray for and with you. We have seen answers to many prayers and we praise God for his faithfulness. And of course, we ate dinner together. We ARE Baptist young ladies and Baptist love to eat and fellowship with each other. What a thrill to hear all the laughter in the house. The Ornament Exchange!

We will find out who is naughty and nice!

Jessica really liked her ornament.

So DID Lindsey!AND SO did Cynthia. Cynthia, our hostess, who always serves us with such love and kindness got the "treasured" ornament.

Oh!!!! There was a beautiful ornament that Emily took from Julie. Emily LOVED this ornament.

She owned it for only a very short time. Amy thought it was pretty nice too!!!
Emily got to choose another ornament.
To her surprise, she got the SAME ornament, only in a different color. Laughter filled the room. It was meant to be!!!

OR, MAYBE NOT! Poor Emily

Emily's night ended with a lovely ornament for her first Christmas tree.

Marlene became a little nervous about which ornament to pick.....

She was very pleased!

Tina felt she must take this ornament.

And Brooke, AKA Cupcake, was overjoyed with her gift!!!

What a fun night.

Relying on God

2008-12-06T20:43:00.002-05:00

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing yet had been done!

C.S. Lewis

Wake up tomorrow and rely on God again!!!

Fun Times with friends

2008-11-29T17:59:00.001-05:00

Jonathan, Marlene and Brooke

Cynthia and Earl

John and Earl

Meet and Greet

2008-11-23T20:07:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our new class members Steve and Laura Cloud. We our glad you have joined us.

Soup Supper/Social

2008-11-15T21:00:00.008-05:00

Our last social was hosted by our friends, John and Barbara Wise. We enjoyed a lovely evening in their beautiful home. It was a great time of fellowship a yummy soup dinner. Below are two recipes that are a must for your recipe book. Enjoy! Vegetable Soup- Barbara Wise

1 ½ to 2 pounds hamburger meat
1 small can tomato paste mixed with 1 quart water (can also use
tomato juice instead)
1 cup ketchup
2 to 3 Cans beef broth
1 Bell Pepper chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped ( I sometimes leave this out)
2 large potatoes diced
2 or 3 carrots scraped and sliced (or 1 can of carrots drained)
1 can kernel corn (drained)
1 can sweet peas (drained)
1 can cut string beans (drained)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Cook hamburger meat with onions, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
until brown. Drain off grease. Put in large pot and add the other ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer for about two to three hours stirring often. I also added some water as I thought was needed because the broth was too thick for me. Add some sugar if you want a sweeter soup and add salt as needed.

Ham-and-Potato Chowder-Cynthia Pierce

1/2 Cup butter or margarine

1 pound cooked ham,

diced3 ribs celery,

coarsely chopped1 large onion,

coarsely chopped2 large carrots, peeled,

sliced2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup flour

1 pint half-and-half

4 chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in 4 cups hot water.

Salt and black pepper to taste*

Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add ham, celery and onion, cooking until vegetables are slightly tender.* Add carrots, potatoes and chicken broth. cook until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.* In a small bowl, add flour and 1/2 cup half-and-half, whisking until smooth to make a slurry.* Add remainder of half-and-half to saucepan; bring to a boil.* Add slurry in a steady stream, stirring contantly to prevent scorching. The chowder should thicken quickly.* Remove chowder from heat and serve.* Can be garnished with shredded cheese, green onions and a dollp of sour cream, if desired.8 servingsThe State Paper 11/7/04

If you have any other good soup recipes, please share them with all of us in the coomment section. Thanks.

Shopping for Christmas

2008-11-13T13:28:00.002-05:00

I read this article today and thought it was a great reminder of one aspect from our lessons on Holiday Expections. Be reminded. Spending, if we allow it, can be over the top. Talk and plan. I put the last sentence in bold lettering. Great advice for us all. Here's to having fun planning together for our Lord's birthday.

9 ways to stretch your holiday budget By- Dani Arthur

Savvy shoppers are expected to do comparison shopping online this year. According to a recent study conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, there are a lot of smart shoppers out there.
The study says 44.2 percent of consumers will go online to shop at some point during this holiday shopping season, about the same as in 2007. On average, consumers will make one third -- 33.6 percent -- of their holiday purchases online, up from 30.2 percent last year.
Perhaps a sign of poor economic times, each shopper is expected to spend $832.36 on holiday merchandise, a paltry 1.9 percent increase over the $816.69 spent last year on average.
Buying tips One hopes those shoppers will comparison shop for better prices -- instead of spending too much by clicking "Charge my card" without thinking through their purchases. Maximize your spending power:
1. Make a spending plan
2. Know your limits
3. Track your spending
4. Shop with a list
5. Shop early
6. Be an educated consumer
7. Load up your wallet with cash
8. Use credit judiciously
9. Beware of sales pitches
Holiday temptationsThe holiday season is an all-out assault on your senses. The music, decorations, lights and the delicious seasonal smells assail your sensibilities on every street and in every store. The pace is frantic, the mood is manic, and the atmosphere is, well, different.
The holidays are so set apart from the norm that people are tempted to break out of their norm -- for just the season.
"It's seduction," says Ruth Hayden, a financial educator and author of "Your Money Life: The 'Make-It-Work' Workbook."
"Consumers are seduced into buying. To be seduced means that you're crossing boundaries that you've set. You're tempted to buy because you want to belong. You're tempted to buy because you want to create love."
And that's where it gets dangerous -- financially speaking.
We convince ourselves that breaking from our budget and using our credit cards a little more freely just this one time is all right. Come January, we'll get caught up and back on track.
"Unfortunately, too many consumers are paying for Christmas purchases beyond six months, a year, two years and even longer," says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services Inc., or CCCS, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Let family traditions decide your spending"Most of us cannot remember gifts we received last year, let alone as a child," says Dvorkin. "It's the family traditions and memories that really stand out."
When deciding what to buy and what to do, first consider your family's favorite traditions and holiday memories. What truly brings a smile to your face? What is the one thing you'd most like to do this holiday? Is there something new you'd like to try?
"If you don't have the cash in your pocket, you shouldn't be buying. You can't afford it. Next month, when the bills are coming in, chances are you're not going to be in better shape," Dvorkin says. How about you? Do you plan and save for the holidays? Or do you just punt and end up paying off the holiday bills just as the fireflies are lighting the sky in the summer?
Here are some tips to help you wrap up your holiday spending without overspending.
1. Make a spending planStart with a realistic idea of how much you can spend on all your holiday purchases. Make a list of everything you usually buy, from the gifts to food to entertainment to travel expenses, and tally the costs.
"If you don't budget and set a specific dollar limit, then your spending grows and grows and grows. In January you'll be horrified by how much you've spent," says Mari Adam, a Certified Financial Planner in Boca Raton, Fla. "And, don't get locked into the thought that how much you spend measures how good of a person you are."
2. Know your limitsNot many can afford to shop carte blanche, so don't try! Make a list of gift recipients and decide how much you want to spend on each person. If you're unable to spend as much on gifts this year, prioritize for whom you really want to buy gifts. Then communicate your plans to family and friends, says Adam. "If you tell them you won't be exchanging gifts this year, then you won't feel embarrassed if they purchase you a gift." You want to be able to pay off your holiday expenses within three months after the holidays, four at the most.
3. Track your spendingYou've made a spending plan -- great! But if you don't keep track of all your purchases and make sure you're staying within your budget, you've wasted your time. Write down everything you spend on holiday clothing, cards, postage, wrapping paper and decorations, reminds Dvorkin. "Don't forget that these holiday expenses add up and need to be tracked on your budget."
4. Shop with a listKnow what you want to buy, and go to the store with a list. You can zip through the stores faster and are more apt to avoid impulse buying, says Dvorkin. When you have finished shopping, stop.
5. Shop early"The best window for holiday shopping is between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1," says Dvorkin. "Don't wait until the last minute. Give yourself time to compare prices and find the best deals." An all-out shopping spree leaves you exhausted from shopping, tempting you to buy the next thing you see regardless of cost. Last-minute shoppers are unlikely to save money. 6. Be an educated consumer Comparison-shopping stretches your holiday funds further. Fight the urge to get your shopping over quickly, recommends the Consumer Federation of America and the Credit Union National Association. Instead, take some extra time to find the best deal before heading off to the stores by scouring catalogs, sales advertisements and the Internet.
Easier said than done. Most people are frazzled with their jobs and busy holiday schedule. They often work right up until Christmas, so their holiday shopping is done last minute, says Adam.
And think twice before you buy. Ask yourself if the gift will be appropriate for the recipient and within your price range. If not, don't buy the gift, particularly if you will have to charge the purchase.
7. Load up your wallet with cash Leave your credit cards at home. "Spend cash. This will force you to budget and make overspending more obvious," says Dvorkin. According to the CCCS, people spend up to a third more when paying with credit instead of cash. There is no emotional attachment to plastic like there is to cash.
But, if you must use plastic, Myvesta.org suggests that you deduct all your purchases in your checkbook register. That way, when the bill arrives, the money will be in your checking account to pay the bill in full.
8. Use credit judiciously Shop with no more than two credit cards -- preferably low-interest rate credit cards, not the expensive department store cards. The more cards you use, the harder it is to track spending. Use one with a zero balance for purchases you will pay off in full. Use the other, low-interest rate credit card for purchases you plan to pay off over the next few months, suggests Myvesta.org.
9. Beware of sales pitchesDon't shop under the influence of holiday hype. Retailers work hard to entice you to buy, buy and buy. If you're not careful, you'll spend more than you planned. Don't fall for credit card offers to "skip a payment." You'll just pay more in interest next month. Watch out for the "buy now and pay later" offers that encourage you to spend money you don't have. And, bypass applying for the department store credit card to get a one-time discount.
"Downsize holiday spending, not your holiday joy," says Adam. "Limit the size of your Christmas in terms of gifts, and make it big on meaning -- from family, friends, traditions to creating memories."

Please and Thank You

2008-11-12T15:58:00.003-05:00

Marriage Encouragement for the week....
"Please" and "Thank-you"...

Two very under-used words in our marriages.This week, take notice of how often you ask your spouse to do something for you, or your spouse does nice things for you without being asked.Do you say "please" when you ask them to do something? Do you say "thank-you" when they do?It makes a world of difference, and there is power in being appreciated!Sprinkle "please" and "Thank-you" generously over all of your conversations.The rewards are great, and it is also a great habit to get in, so that when you start teaching your children someday--------they will see your great example!May your marriage be blessed this week!

Pam Sjolund

"Pearls to Ponder" (for the ladies)

2008-11-06T15:21:00.005-05:00

Hey ladies, ....Here are some words to ponder on as we go through our week. Currently, the ladies Bible Study group is reading the book, What happens when women say Yes to God, by Lysa TerKeurst. My new, sweet friend, Allyson Monferdini, emailed me the following "pearls which she found on TerKeurst website Proverbs 31 Ministries. I wanted to share these with all the ladies out there. THANKS ALLYSON!!! May God bless each of you as you love your husband.

"Love means commitment."
-Commitment to love him even when you don't feel loveable.
-Commitment to share yourself even when you want to be alone.
-Commitment to hope even when the circumstances say otherwise.
-Commitment to pray for him even when you are tired.
-Commitment to speak to him even when the words don't come easily.
-Commitment to the promise you made on your wedding day even when the promise feels broken.
-Commitment to a God who makes all things possible through Him.

I think marriage is an opportunity to live blind...
Blind to all the faults of your spouse. Blind to all the clothes he leaves on the floor. Blind to the flaws and failures that seem to become so magnified after the honeymoon is over.
Blind to the other guy who seems oh-so-much-more interested in you.

And Deaf...
Deaf to the careless words and ugly tones that linger in your head after apologies have been spoken.
Deaf to the other voices telling you happiness is out there, somewhere, anywhere but in your marriage.

And a chance to become a student again...
A student of the man God has placed in your life. Discovering the subtleties of his character. The things that make him soar. The things that break his heart. The things he does well and not so well. The ways he communicates love, even when it's not the way you are used to receiving it. What his "quiet" means and what makes him laugh really, really hard.

Getting married doesn't instantly make you selfless... it makes you realize how very selfish you can be at times.
Getting married doesn't make you feel loved... it makes you realize love is more of a decision you make than a feeling you feel.
Getting married doesn't take away loneliness... it makes you realize true companionship comes not when you demand it but rather when you give it to another person.

Marriage is a beautiful chance to make the choice to...
LAUGH-whether or not the jokes are funny.
LOVE-by folding his collar over his tie every morning.
PRETEND-like you don't need flowers, but delight when he buys them anyway.
CHEER-him on through both failures and successes.
TELL-him he's a great man everyday.
THANK-God for the privilege of being his wife.

Pumpkin Carving Party

2008-11-02T21:33:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

Meet and Greet

2008-10-18T21:11:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Robert and Jessica Holly. We are so glad your have joined us.

Holiday Expectations

2008-10-14T09:15:00.004-04:00

Over the last two weeks our class has been discussing Holiday Expectations. As of today, there are only 71 more shopping days or 10 weeks until Christmas. Somehow, that statement just makes me feel like I need to "hurry up". Sometimes it can even cause me to feel stressed.

Here are a few tips we discussed.

1. You are married now and solving Holiday challenges are part of marriage.
2. Your finances are limited. (WHO will be on the Christmas gift list?) If you are using a credit card to pay for your gifts, how long do you want to pay on them in the new year? Be wise with your spending.
3. Your time is limited. (Who will you visit and when?)
4. Because your time is limited, You, and each family, WILL miss out on something. Someone may just cry.
5. What are your family traditions? Which ones will be brought into your NEW family? What new tradition will the two of you begin for your family?

Don't go into the holiday season with a tug-of-war. Communicate, communicate, and communicate once again. Talk about it well in advance. Consider all alternatives. Negotiate! Compromise! Share your plans lovingly with both sides of the family. Remember, it is difficult for BOTH sets of parents to be separated from their child during the holiday. One former newlywed gave the advise of being FAIR with both sets of parents. (Perhaps, one day you will be the in-laws.)

The holidays are a fun time. Plan now for a HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Deacon Ordination

2008-10-11T21:35:00.003-04:00

Tyler Abernathy was ordained Oct. 8th, 2008 at Shandon Baptist Church. He is pictured above with his wife Caroline. We pray that God blesses Tyler and Caroline as he begins this new ministry.

A Quote or Two

2008-10-07T20:48:00.003-04:00

Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you.
Jackson Brown, Jr

They say it takes a village to raise a child. That may be the case,but the truth is that it takes a lot of solid, stable marriages to create a village. Diane Sollee

I got gaps; you got gaps; we fill each other's gaps. Rocky

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. Leo Tolstoy

Love is what you've been through with somebody. James Thurber

The most important marriage skill is listening to your partner in a way thatthey can't possibly doubt that you love them. Diane Sollee

When asked his secret of love, being married fifty-four years to the sameperson, he said, "Ruth and I are happily incompatible."Billy Graham

Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage. Diane Sollee

Caring for Columbia Work Project

2008-10-04T20:54:00.006-04:00

October 4 , 2008 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Work assignments: Lawn maintenance projects, Exterior painting

Meadowfield Elementary School Project

Our church, Shandon Baptist, is reaching out to the Columbia Community. Today, Shandon sponcored a work day at Meadowfield Elementary School. Shandon encouraged it's members to help this school with a few maintenance projects. We were amazed at how many members came out to help with the work day project. It was a fun time working along side all ages to beautify this school.

Lindsey busy painting.

Brent working on repairing the walkway.

Tyler

Jamie and another hard worker.

Cynthia and Amy picking up sticks and limbs.

Alex loading trash on the truck.

Alex, Jamie, and ? (I don't know his name) hauling off the trash.

Oh...and Stephanie and Kynn worked hard too. :)

Success in Marriage

2008-10-02T22:27:00.001-04:00

Success in marriage does not come merely through finding the right mate, but through being the right mate. ~Barnett R. Brickner

Where is your heart?

2008-10-01T15:41:00.001-04:00

(PHOTO TAKEN BY KITTY HURDLE)

Meet and Greet

2008-09-30T20:35:00.005-04:00

We are pleased to introduce Robert and Morgan Liner

Welcome to the Newlywed Class!

My Mom's Best Recipe

2008-09-24T21:20:00.007-04:00

Bobby Chandler, Marlene's husband, loves to ask her if the "BIG OVEN" is warm. That is his way of telling her that he wants a home cooked meal. :) Sometimes it can be a challenge to think up....one more meal.

Let's help each other out by sharing our favorite recipes that comes straight from our mother's kitchen.

My children like my moms hamburger with sliced potatoes casserole. My husband likes her potato salad. We all like her brownies with icing. Every time I take the brownies to a social event I'm asked for the recipe. Here it is .....

Brownies

2 cups of sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup butter flavored crisco
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa

Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 350^ for 20 - 25 minutes.

Icing Recipe

1 stick of margarine
1 egg or egg substitute
1 box of 10x powdered sugar
Cocoa - to taste.

Mix together and ice brownies. If icing is dry add a little milk
(posted by Cynthia)

Love Languages Acts of Service

2008-09-22T20:48:00.003-04:00

This week we discussed the love language of Acts of Service.
Three Observations:
1) What we do before marriage is not a good indication of what we will do after we are married because we fall into the role model we saw in our parents growing up.
2) Love is a choice and cannot be coerced. Don’t guilt, threaten or manipulate your spouse.
3) My spouse’s criticisms about my behavior provide me with the clearest clue to her primary love language. People tend to criticize their spouse most loudly in the area where they themselves have the deepest emotional need.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to remember is God speaks ALL love languages fluently and will teach you how to speak your spouse's language if you ask Him to.

Homework:

Sunday: Discuss the actions you listed on your 3x5 card. Are they reasonable? Do you understand that if your spouse does them, it is to express love and for no other reason?

Monday: Remember that love is a choice and continue the habit of speaking Love Languages. (and check box to acknowledge it) Speak Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gift Giving and Acts of Service at least once each this week.

Love Language
Words of Affirmation – What are you saying to your spouse?
Quality Time – Are you spending time with and hearing your spouse?
Gift Giving – You are so important that I was thinking about you today.
Acts of Service – Let me help you with …

Tuesday: Discuss which of your recent attempts to speak Love Languages have been the most comical to you and why.

Wednesday: Dance for 10 minutes and then give each other foot massages.

Thursday: Set timer for a 15 minute Kitchen Rescue, then discuss with each other what additional tasks need to be completed around the home. Ie. mopping kitchen floor…cleaning bathrooms. Make a plan and then work the plan.

Friday: Discuss the following 1) William Shakespeare once said, “I will praise any man that will praise me.” Do you ever feel this way? When are you most willing to praise your spouse without an ulterior motive? 2) Complete the sentence, “I like to be kissed…”

Saturday: Think through the past week and come to church Sunday ready to brag on your spouse for their efforts this past week.

Dating On A Dime

2008-09-21T16:55:00.008-04:00

You can still go have some fun on the weekend. Don't let gas prices keep you at home. Here are some inexpensive things you can do.

1. THE STATE MUSEUM -- Print a $1.oo off coupon from their website or go the first Sunday of the month for free. www.museum.state.sc.us

2. THE COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART -- Free every Saturday. http://www.columbiamuseum.org/

3. CONGAREE NATIONAL PARK -- Free ranger guided canoe trips on Saturday and Sunday. Guided hikes and owl prowls. www.nps.gov/cosw

4. SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ at THE VILLAGE at SANDHILLS -- this is seasonal. Check before going.

5. Walk THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS or take the free tour Monday - Saturday. While there don't forget to take a bag of peanuts. Sit on a bench and feed the squirrels. www.shoutaboutcarolina.com

6. COLUMBIA CANAL & RIVERFRONT PARK -- take a walk, bike ride, or picnic. www.shoutaboutcarolina.com

7. USC SCHOOL of MUSIC -- there are free events almost every week. http://www.music.c.edu/

8. The $1.50 MOVIES IN ST. ANDREWS. A new dollar theatre is coming to the Columbia Place Mall Area soon.

9. FINLAY PARK offers free concerts on Saturday nights during the summer. They offer a variety of music from week to week.

10. You can always locate a free ART EXHIBIT. Check the Weekend Section of the State Paper. There are galleries in the Vista, 5 Points, Columbia College, and USC.

11. MCKISSICK MUSEUM ON THE HORSESHOE AT USC -- check the calendar for free exhibits. www.cas.sc.edu/MCKS

12. Go on a walk or bike ride in your neighborhood.

Quotes and Saying

2008-09-17T14:54:00.003-04:00

Quotes are fun to read and often encourage us to "do" better. Here are a few that I came across today. What are your favorite quotes?

"Giving your time to serve others releases joy in your life."

"You are amoung the precious gifts God has given me."

"Ask not what MOM can do for you....Ask what you can do for MOM."

"Put GOD in the center--and everything will come together."

"What goes into the mind...comes out in a life."

"Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from evil. 1 chronciles 4:10"

"If the salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing."

Our very own: BRENT McCRAW

2008-09-16T20:09:00.003-04:00

Meet and Greet

2008-09-15T12:54:00.002-04:00

Meet and Greet our new class members! Welcome to the Newlywed Class!

Warren and Margaret Felkel

Warren and Margaret were married on August 16, 2008.

Marriage Maintance/Checkup/Vitamins

2008-09-13T08:54:00.002-04:00

Wrong or Right
He has made everything beautiful in its time.Ecclesiastes 3:11

When you made a covenant to your spouse, it wasn't just a promise to stay married. It wasn't a pass/fail exam. It was a sacred pledge to care for and nourish each other--to meet the other's needs and receive the other--to accept and embrace each other as God's personal provision for your needs.
But obviously, your wedding vows are made long before you really know the person you are marrying--before years of sharing the same house, the same bathroom, the same dishwasher, the same everything. By then you are aware of the maddening little things that just get under your skin.
It's at points like these when some husbands and wives conclude, "I think I married the wrong person." That thought is not abnormal, but it is dangerous.
If that thought has ever crossed your mind, I ask you to think carefully about this timeless advice from author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar: "I have no way of knowing whether or not you married the wrong person. But I do know that if you treat the wrong person like the right person, you could well end up having married the right person after all. It is far more important to be the right kind of person than it is to marry the right person."
All of us inevitably come to places in marriage where our objectives and attitudes clash with each other, sometimes pretty strongly. We don't make it all the way through without encountering stretches of road that are filled with potholes, bridges out and some steep grades. But what would happen if we chose to accept rather than reject, to be thankful rather than spiteful, to give encouragement rather than disapproval?
I guarantee you, Mr. and Mrs. Right are the people in your wedding pictures, even if it hasn't been looking like it recently.

DiscussIn what ways has your perspective changed toward your spouse since you were married?

Reaffirm your commitment to one another in a short letter to one another.

Pray:Ask the Lord to keep your heart contented, committed to a lifetime of not just living but loving one another well.

Devotion by Dennis Rainey

Marriage Maintance/Checkup/Vitamins

2008-09-12T15:55:00.004-04:00

Cynthia and I have a wonderful sister named Beckie. She is loads of fun and SO spiritually mature. Cynthia and I often comment on how we wish we lived closer to her so we could get daily spiritual advise and wisdom from her. Anyway, she sent the below encouragement to me and I wanted to pass it on to you. This was written by a young lady named Amanda Jones. (Beth Moore's daughter)

"I think I may have mentioned this book before, but I absolutely love Devotions for a Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. That book is like vitamins for your marriage. I read the following portion earlier this week and have been wanting to share it with everyone. From "A Soul Filled with God" on p. 9:
Personal worship is an absolute necessity for a strong marriage. It comes down to this: If I stop receiving from God, I start demanding from others. Instead of appreciating and loving and serving others, I become disappointed in them. Instead of cherishing my wife, I become aware of her shortcomings. I take out my frustrations with a less-than-perfect life and somehow blame her for my lack of fulfillment.But when my heart gets filled by God's love and acceptance, I'm set free to love instead of worrying about being loved. I'm motivated to serve instead of becoming obsessed about whether I'm being served. I'm moved to cherish instead of feeling unappreciated.
If you looked in my book you'd see furious underlining and a big OUCH! scribbled at the top of the page. Isn't that good though? I would definitely recommend this book to any married couple. It gives you one reading a week for a year. " (Amanda Jones)

Here's to personal worship and loving our spouses well!

Five Love Languages-Quality Time

2008-09-09T21:24:00.002-04:00

QUALITY TIME
Some spouses believe that being together, doing things together and focusing in on one another is the best way to show love. If this is your partner's love language, turn off the TV now and then and give one another some undivided attention.

Homework for this week:

Sunday: Develop a working definition of what "Quality Time" means to you and your spouse.

Monday: To get in the habit of speaking all 5 Love Languages, speaks Words of Affirmation twice this week . Ask your spouse to tell you 2 things that happened to you today and how your feel about them.

Tuesday: Read to each other the following scriptures that describe God's desire to have Quality Time with you. Rev. 3:20; Isaiah 43:1-2; James 4:8; and Psalm 37:23-24.

Wednesday: It's time to dance. Get your heartbeats going this time....IE. turn the music on and do the Twist then cool down by slow dancing.

Thursday: Set the timer for a 15 minute House Rescue, then discuss with each other what additional tasks need to be completed around the home. IE. mopping, kitchen floor...cleaning bathrooms. Make a plan and then work the plan.

Friday: Answer the following questions: 1.If God were to give an "11th" commandment to you or your partner, what would it be and why? 2. If you could do away with one household chore for the rest of your life, something you would never have to do again, which one would you choose?

Saturday: Make a special effort to A. Come to Sunday School and Worship tomorrow; 2. Invite someone to come with you and C. park away from the building to make room for our guests.

THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES

2008-09-01T09:53:00.009-04:00

Oh, do you remember the good 'ol days when we were dating? Things were so fun and exciting. Everything seemed so fresh and new. Once upon a time, he opened the car door for you and brought flowers. Perhaps she complemented you and actually watched football all day long sitting right by your side. During those dating days, we were all about impressing each other. THEN, after the marriage, something like this may have taken place.....

Em vez de observar futebol todo o dia longo, ela pode querer que limpasse a casa. Em vez de trazer você floresce, acaba de querer você sentar-se e observar futebol todo o dia longo. Tentamos de amar, mas às vezes nós amamos na linguagem errada.

Sometimes it seems we are speaking a foreign language to each other. Learning a foreign language takes time and effort and as a couple we want to commit to learn our mates language.

As a quick review, the Five Love Languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Gifts
4. Acts of Service
5. Physical

If you are not sure of your primary love language, take the 30 second test

Let's remember, When someone speaks my primary love language, I am drawn to that person because he or she is meeting my basic need to feel loved. When a person does not speak my primary language, I will wonder if he or she really loves me, because emotionally I am not understanding that person.

Receiving Love in my language provides the emotional security of knowing that I am Number One in his or her mind. You say, "I am married to you and choose to look out for your interests. "

This week we encourage each of you to concentrate on Words of Affirmation. The question to ask, "What are you "saying" to you spouse?"

The tongue has the power of life of death in a relationship. (Proverbs 18:21) "See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire." (James 3:5-12) If your spouse needs encouraging words to feel loved....Critical words are even more destructive.

When using words of affirmation
1. Use KIND words and tone of voice, even when expressing hurt.
2. Be SINCERE with your words
3. Praise SPECIFICS
4. Praise your spouse in front of others.

HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK:

Sunday: Agree with your spouse that you will do your best to suspend criticism and complainants this week. Ask God to sensitize you to your critical words.

Monday: Give a word of Affirmation 5 times this week. Sunday morning we passed out snack bags of plain M&Ms. Mixed in with the other colors are 10 "green" ones. Do what you want with the other colors, but save the green ones for your spouse. Each time you receive a Word of Affirmation form your spouse this week, give him/her two green M&Ms.. The goal is not to have any green M&Ms at the end of the week.

Tuesday: Read to each other some of Jesus' encouraging words to us. Husbands read John 5:24, 6:35, 6:40 & 10:27-30. Wives read Revelation 22:12-13 & 17.

Wednesday: Turn the music on and dance.

Thursday: Set the timer for a 15 minute House Rescue, (put things where they belong) then read what you wrote on the 3x5 card on Sunday. (what do I admire about you) GET READY FOR GAMECOCK FOOTBALL!

Friday: Answer the following questions: 1. When was the last time the two of you together found something really funny...so funny that you literally could not stop laughing? 2. As a couple, if you could do anything you wanted as a team and were guaranteed not to fail, what would it be?

Saturday: Surprise your spouse by doing something they would not expect you to do today.

Sunday: Come to church

THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES - GARY CHAPMAN

If you can give an example of how your spouse gave you WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, please share them in the comment below section. Let us spur each other on to LOVE and good works. (Hebrews 10:24.)

Pizza and a Scavenger Hunt

2008-09-01T09:49:00.003-04:00

Our Friday night social was a blast. The pizza and dessert were so yummy. Thanks to everyone who brought desserts.
Our scavenger hunt was so fun. (Stayed tune for the pictures) A big thank you to Cynthia for getting the PRIZES for our winners. Way to win....Hudson and Emily, and Joey and Lindsey.

Meet and Greet

2008-08-26T20:04:00.008-04:00

Please let me introduce you to more new friends.

John and Barbara Wise

Fletcher and Tina Rinehart

Steve and Susan Guy

Rad and Allyson Monferdini

Joey and Lindsey Ashcroft

Kevin and andrea Clinebelle

Welcome to everyone!

Ministry To Others

2008-08-23T11:45:00.003-04:00

"And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

Opportunity knocks and we must decide. Will I give my time and resources to help someone in need? Look for places where God is at work and join Him (H. Blackaby). That will be the place God can use you the best.

The Answer to our Question on 8/17/08

2008-08-22T21:45:00.003-04:00

On the 8/17/08 MEET AND GREET post, we asked if anyone knew what Brooke and Stephanie had in common. Well, here is a huge HINT. Can you guess? :)

Both Brooke and Stephanie have an identical twin sister!

What's for Supper?

2008-08-21T21:01:00.011-04:00

I can not begin to tell you how many times I have looked at my watch about 4:30 or 5:00 (PM) and wondered, What's for Supper? (PANIC) Oh No, my hubby will be home soon and what in the world am I going to do? Perhaps the worst part is that there is food in the freezer, but I have not once thought about bringing it out to thaw. Has this ever happened to you? If it hasn't happened to you, I guess you are REALLY organized and I need your help!!! :)

Tonight was a successful night at the Harris Household. Happy stomachs make for a nice evening. The casserole and pie are so easy and quick. What about you? What ideas do you have for a good evening meal. Please share it with us.

Our Menu
Chicken and Dressing Casserole
Tossed Salad
Steamed Broccoli
Fresh Fruit
Blueberry Pie
Iced Tea

Chicken and Dressing Casserole

2 1/2 lb. chicken

2 hard boiled eggs

1 can cream of chicken soup (diluted with 1/2 can of chicken broth)

1/2 package Pepperidge Farm dressing mixed with 1 1/2 cup of chicken broth

In bottom of baking dish put bite size cooked chicken. (I use a rotisserie chicken from deli). On top of chicken place 2 sliced boiled eggs and 1 can of cream of chicken soup diluted with 1/2 can of broth. Add 1/2 package of Pepperidge Farm dressing with 1 1/2 cup of broth. Place on top of chicken. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Blueberry Pie

1 Quart blueberries and 1 baked pie crust

Simmer 1 cup blueberries and 2/3 cup of water and simmer about 3 minutes. Next, blend the following ingredients, add to simmering mixture and boil for 1 minute stirring constantly.

1 cup sugar

3 Tbs. cornstarch

1/3 cup of water

Cool this mixture completely and mix with remaining blueberries. Add to pie shell and refrigerate. Top with cool whip. Enjoy!

Meet and Greet

2008-08-17T18:16:00.017-04:00

Today, Aug. 17th, was our first Sunday with the 08-09 newlywed class. Everyone was invited to our home for lunch after worship. What a fun time we all had meeting each other. May we introduce you to our new friends.

BJ and Lindsay Belville

Hudson and Emily Williams

Matt Davis and Julie Merrill

Tyler and Caroline Abernathy

Brent and Amy McCraw

Bill and Stephanie Hrisko

Jonathan and Brooke Gangi

Cynthia and Earl Pierce

Bob and Marlene Chandler

Daisy was a sweet girl!

NOW, the question of the day. What does Brooke and Stephanie have in common? Can you guess?

Marriage Maintance

2008-08-16T21:41:00.005-04:00

Marriage Maintance is the word we use to encourage couples to work on your relationship on a regular basis. We hope you will have fun with the "homework". If you would like to leave a comment on why you LOVE your spouse, we would really like to hear it. Perhaps, it will motivate someone else to love better.

Sunday - Make a list of the top 10 reasons you love your spouse. Share them with each other.

Monday - Hug and Kiss as you come and go. Make this a habit.

Tuesday - Ask your mate how you can pray for them this week. Be sure to pray for them.

Wednesday - After supper, turn on some music and slow dance.

Thursday - Set a timer for 15 minutes. Work as quickly as possible and pick up the house. Put things where they belong.

Friday - Men - Massage her feet.Ladies - rub his back.

Saturday - Spend a few minutes reviewing your week together. Answer the following questions regarding your marriage relationship.
1.What did we do well this week?
2. What do we need to work on?
3. How can I serve you this week?

Sunday - Go to church!

Welcome to "Happily Ever After"

2008-08-14T21:44:00.003-04:00

On Sunday Aug. 17th, Kynn and I will begin teaching our 6th newlywed Sunday School Class. It has been such a privilege for us to be able to serve the Lord in this capacity. We are so excited that my sister, Cynthia Pierce, will be serving along side us as the director of our department. This blog is intended to encourage and uplift newlywed couples, and just maybe some not so new newlyweds. In the upcoming days we will have a "meet and greet" of the new couples in the '08-09 class.

Thanks Kitty

2008-08-13T14:51:00.000-04:00

Kitty Hurdle has helped tremendously with getting this blog up and running. Thank you Kitty.
And to Kitty....I expect a comment! "cause you have been to the chapel!!!