by Kimberly | Aug 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
I don’t know if I appreciated farmers’ markets as much growing up as I do now. Yesterday, Mom and I headed over the NC State Farmers’ Market to pick up some vegetables for dinner. I traveled around, eyeing what everyone brought from their farms and orchards and vineyards. Tasted a peach. Looked longingly at the scuppernongs and muscadines and the brilliant colors from all the peppers. The sweet corn made my mouth water.
We stayed for a while speaking with Cathy who was a very nice customer service helper for Walker Farms. She told us all about their German Tomatoes (so good for dinner), their varieties of squash and zucchini (also a winner), Mr Stripey tomotoes, the 9 varieties of eggplant they grew, as well the 14 different kinds of peppers. Loved her knowledge and her kindness in sharing some recipes and tastes with me. We bought much for $3.35 cents (you can do that at most places) and journeyed on.
So…support your local farmers. Especially this one in Randolph County. Contact info:
(Booth at the NC State Farmers Market in Raleigh)
Franklinville, NC
Randolph County
919.728.6146
336.669.9379
by Kimberly | Aug 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
I was out driving around the other day looking for a park to walk in. Came across this little church – and decided to come back the next day with my camera. Loved the brick and stained glass. Wish I could have gotten inside. You can see the beauiful (what looks like) cherry pews inside on the website linked above.
I look forward to finding more history in Raleigh.
Photograhs Taken: kd Sunday, August 8, 2010
by Kimberly | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
I heard about Booksneeze through a friend of mine at church. My first book was Angel Song by Sheila Walsh. Sheila is a speaker/writer who tours mostly with Women of Faith.
Angel Song is a fiction novel based primarily in NYC and Charleston. The story of a women who loses everything and searches for something.
Here is what I love:
1. Description of Charleston. I love the south, the old south, the coast, all things historical, and the city of Charleston. It is great to hear her go into so much description of the city and some of the history of it. The scenery, the Battery, the houses, and the old charm.
2. The prologue. The back of the book doesn’t do the book justice. But, I was hooked with the prologue. I love it how a book can capture you in just 3 pages.
This book is all about angels. While I haven’t settled on my “how angels work in the world” theology…I do believe in the sovereignty of God. That is what is most important to be remembered. God works everything togeteher for our good.
If you need a good beach read this summer…pick this up. You won’t be disappointed.
by Kimberly | Jul 28, 2010 | Uncategorized
Granola is probably the thing I make most in my kitchen (save cookies and egg white sandwiches). I always like trying new recipes. This one is a winner. I started with a recipe from Joy of Baking and tweaked it. Turned out great.
3 cups oats
1/2 cup whole raw almonds (I buy in the bulk bins at WF and just keep in my freezer)
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pepitas
1/2 T wheat germ
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
2 T light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup dried cherries
Mix dry. Melt over low heat wet and sugar. Toss together. Bake on rimmed cooking sheet (sprayed) at 325 for 10 minutes x 4. I like to set the timer for 10 minutes and stir or I will forget about it. Don’t let it get burnt – nothing worse in granola than burnt almonds.
Add in the cherries when granola is cooled completely.
by Kimberly | Jul 28, 2010 | Uncategorized
Ministry books line Christian bookstore shelves. Some are worth the read; some are not. just a fact of life.
This one, by Marshall and Payne, is one that is worth the read. The authors provide a superb visual that stays with the reader throughout the book.
This is the current book we are reading together as a Parent and Family Discipleship team – I have loved reading books with my teammates, co-laborers, friends. Each person brings a new set of eyes and experiences to the reading of the book and discussion. I would recommend this practice to those of you who serve on ministry teams. It is very worthwhile.
Here are 5 of my thoughts on this book and then I’m offering some of the questions I’ll raise to our team here when we discuss it in a few weeks:
1. If I could sum up this book in two words, those two would be: decentralized ministry. Marshall and Payne focus on training and making disciple-makers out of disciples. It is not just about the staff ministry team whose names are on the bulletin or on the church marquee sign. It is about the people in the church who sit in the pews, rock babies, play foosball at youth lock-ins. It is about the grandmother who brings her 8-year old to church with her and the single dad who rushes home from work in order to bring his two middle schoolers to youth group.
2. This book is repetitive. While that is a good thing – to drive home the argument or premise – this book could be quite a bit shorter if written more succinctly.
3. The authors do a great job of keeping the goal/vision of this book in front of them at all times. You don’t wonder what they are aiming toward – see number 2.
4. Throughout the book, you get a sense that the lay people in your church are important. Not just the elders or the deacons, but those that do the grunt work in volunteering. But, you also get a direction in which to take these people – from just stacking chairs on Sunday morning or filming the service – to pouring the Bible into others and making disciples of their neighbors or co-workers.
5. I love their use of Scripture and historical references (think Baxter and Luther). This isn’t just some new-fangled idea that the authors came up with one night at a retreat. They have sought the perfect Word of God on this (thankful for the ministry of Paul and the disciples in the New Testament). They prove that opinions in ministry are a dime-a-dozen, but the Word of God should compel us in how we do ministry.
6. So often we get stuck in our denominational circles. This book doesn’t. We read of Presbyterians, non-denominational ministries, and SBCers. Shows that one denomination isn’t the only one there is. We all can learn something from our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world.
7. They don’t think they have cornered the market on ministry application. These two men show great humility toward the end of the book when they say what we have written in here isn’t prescription – see what works for you. Its more the idea of team work and disciple making than it is about a prescribed step-by-step plan.
Here are some of the questions I’ll pose to our team when we have our book discussion:
1. Which type of ministry do you thrive in (or tend to work in): the trellis or the vine?
2. Do we run our ministries in an 80/20 mentality? Are we so focused on a few people who those few people are doing most of the ministry in our churches. Are we exhausting those people without allowing so many more to participate?
3. What do you think would happen if we expected more out of our leaders and volunteers? Why are we afraid to ask more of them?
4. How are you being a good steward of the ministry you’ve been assigned to (probably the most convicting question for me)?
I would recommend this book. It may not be the BEST book I’ve ever read on ministry – but it should be read, digested, and put into practice.
by Kimberly | Jul 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6iAjEv9dQ]
This is one country song that had me laughing aloud in a car (by myself) this weekend. It also made me think. (Warning: this video is a typical country video, rated at least PG.)
The older I get and more technologically advanced our society gets – the more friends I know who have met or have at least tried online dating sites. Right or wrong, that is not my judgment to make. Here are just some thoughts to think about (and yes, these apply to regular old-fashioned dating relationships as well).
1. Truth/Honesty. If you don’t know the person you are relating to/trying to get to know other than what they tell you – you really don’t know what you are going to get. Pictures sometimes tell the real truth – sometimes they don’t. Trust is probably the biggest thing I struggle with in a relationship. Honesty is so important – and so hard to get.
2. Accountability. Again – so important an a relationship. In all of my relationships – since none of them have worked – none were being held accountable. I think accountability is something that is missing in most relationships these days – especially online, but in all relationships. That is one of the things I crave in my life and in my relationships. I want others to be able to speak into it and hold by me and the guy I’m dating accountable with our alone time, our physical relationship, our time with God, how we serve the Body of Christ, how we are growing in our walks with Christ separately. All these things.
I am not saying either of these are impossible with online dating services, it just makes them harder. And when relationships are hard enough in the “real world” than why make it harder.
If you need some good thoughts on Relationships – click and listen to Brian Frost speak on how to do relationships right. These were recorded at the Gathering – Providence’s ministry to single adults.
