Old-Fashioned Pure Religion

Here it is...the Good Lord willing, another Multitude Monday.

No need to look far, as I am surrounded by great gifts and an abundance of blessings with no apparent end in sight.

#106) This week officially begins an event called Loveloud09. My family and I were blessed to take part in this local community activity last year. I say 'officially' because the message of Loveloud '08 continued long after the 3 day event ended last October.

For my family, Loveloud has become a favorite new word in our vocabulary. We just love to Love Loud!

Take a look, here's why

LOVELOUD 2009 from Dallas White on Vimeo.

This year (due to plans made before LoveLoud 09 was scheduled), we discovered we would not be able to take part in the official event.

All who know me will attest to how sad this has made me.

Despite the fact that it took me a solid week to recover last year, I could hardly wait to go at it again in 2009. Glutten for pain I am!

Want to hear something really neat?

This would be #107)

Some of my precious family in the faith have let me know they will be Lovin a little Louder for me...in my absence this year. I know these folks well and they will do a far better job than I ever have at being the hands and feet of Jesus this week to those need.

They will indeed do it BIG and Loud!

So for all my FBCW peeps, thank you for setting such an amazing example. With whole hearted love, through what you DO and not by what you say alone.

"Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea what they look like. " James 1: 22-24

I love you guys! You will be in my prayers this entire week. I'm looking forward to hearing how God blesses as you Love Loud this October weekend!

Soooo this cool Monday in Georgia, I find myself gushing with gratitude for gifts more abundant than this wretched gal would ever deserve.



#108) Cold snaps that turn a Hotlanta fall into something more like my hometown back in Missouri.

#109) Sunday's at church with my family and friends. I missed being there yesterday...savored the message online...even still...not the same.

Makes me all the more grateful for the privilege.

and blessing of...

#110 ) Old-Fashioned Pure Religion

Would that each week began so well!

God's Goodness and Grace Takes My Breath Away!

Having kept a journal the greater part of my life, I was amazed to discover how much blogging is like keeping a journal. For the most part, my writings tended to stay between me and God. Blogging however has opened my life to a plethora of new relationships and incredible adventures in Jesus that I might never have experienced except in the multifaceted world of the Internet.

One such adventure is ‘Fleece for the Flock’. Early this year, my friend Mary shared an idea God had given her. The basic concept was to create hand tied blankets and distribute them to our neighbors, especially the neediest who could really use a hug from God.
Each blanket has the opportunity to cover the recipient not only in warmth, but to be the hands, feet and loving arms of Christ as we are called to do in 1Peter 5:2-3.

In the short months since beginning this ministry, God has grown it into something Mary and I never imagined and it’s all His doing. We have more than 150 flock members as we call them, from across this country and several outside of the US. Word has spread due in large part to sharing through Facebook, Video’s, emails and blogs. Our members have embraced this ministry with their whole hearts, giving time, money and fleece and most importantly prayer to see these projects completed.

Currently Fleece for the Flock is committed to providing 500 blankets and wraps to our Appalachian neighbors in McDowell County, West Virginia. Due to a series of economic and natural disasters, the community of McDowell has the distinction of being one of the poorest counties in the United States.

The video below does an excellent job explaining how this once thriving community became the poster child for the war on poverty.

Since joining my friend Mary on this mission, not a day passes that 1Corinthians 2:9 is not pouring from my heart. God’s goodness and grace to this old grandma takes my breath away. I am not sure where He is leading next, but wherever it is, I will follow.

This and other post can be found at A Women Inspired

Miami Vice to the Hill Country

#105) Socks

Cool temps and rain greet us once again this day. Still cleaning up the mess from flooding 3 weeks ago and with every moment I am reminded of how blessed we are.

The inconveniences involved in clean up and repair pale in comparison to those Georgian neighbors who lost homes and lives. For our part there was nothing that was lost or damaged that could not be replaced, repaired or done without. Not true for many others in our community.

This rain and chill in the air remind me of some other neighbors, just over the mountains and east of here in McDowell County West Virginia.

A flock member whose family hails from McDowell, shared with us the need children of this community have for socks. All too frequently large numbers of children have shoes to wear but no socks, all winter long.

These kids are NOT attempting to bring Crocket and Tubbs - Miami Vice fashions to the hill country...no, socks are just not at the top of their families list of priorities.

McDowell County has already had their frost this season. The average snowfall for Iaeger, WV runs between 45 and 59 inches a season...all without socks.

Needless to say (but when has that ever stopped me) we are collecting children's socks along with blankets and wraps. We hope to be able to stuff each pair with Christmas treats and personal messages of love and hope.

So on this chilly rainy Monday I am ever so grateful for socks, may I never take them for granted again.

How about you?

The Great Christmas Bowl Blog Tour Give Away

Congratulations

to Leah of The Point blog.

Leah is the winner of Susan May Warren’s book

‘The Great Christmas Bowl’

Follow the rest of 'The Great Christmas Bowl' blog tour by going here

many discussions and a whole lot of prayer

A few months back my dear friend Mary approached me with ideas for a tie blanket ministry. Mary said God had laid this on her heart for almost a year and now He was impressing on her to move forward. As a result of many discussions and a whole lot of prayer 'Fleece for the Flock' was born.

Since early this summer Mary, myself and a troop of people loving God honoring folks have set heart to hands tying blanket, wraps and scarves for folks of all ages. At the heart of Fleece for the Flock's mission is a desire to be the hands, feet and loving arms of Christ as we are called to do in 1Peter 5:2-3

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."

Currently Fleece for the Flock is seeking to complete 500 fleece blankets to send to McDowell County, West Virginia by Christmas. McDowell is one of the poorest counties in the United States. Please watch the video below for more about the area and the folks who live there. Please consider how you might be able to help.

I encourage everyone who would, to please copy and paste this button

on your blog or website and point those in your neighborhood to help with this worthy cause.

as ever,

Blog Tour: The Great Christmas Bowl

Nothing I like better than reading a good book and experiencing sudden outburst of emotions as I turn from one page to the next. Laughter through tears, breath holding anxiety that leads to sudden relief; these mark some of my favorite reading encounters. Susan May Warren serves up just this kind of entertainment in ‘The Great Christmas Bowl’.

Like so many mamas’s facing empty nests, Marianne Wallace is grappling with a myriad of change that threatens to overrun her Rockwellion life. Sporting lots of courage but not so much grace, Marianne Wallace tackles son Kevin’s last year of high school with a mother’s great heart and unabashed enthusiasm.

Through trial by trout, Marianne and her neighbors of Big Lake, Minnesota have the season of their lives while discovering some of the greatest joys of community and Christmas.

A book for anyone who loves family, football and Christmas (and even those who don’t), Susan May Warren’s, ‘The Great Christmas Bowl’ is good reading! This book will keep you in stitches while touching your heart in ways usually reserved for greeting card commercials.

I am pleased to be giving away a copy of

‘The Great Christmas Bowl’.

Just leave a comment and you will be entered in the drawing. On Saturday, October 10th, I will announce the winner as selected with the random number generator. Good luck everyone!!

Oh, and there's more...

Share your Favorite Christmas Story and Recipe!

Do you have a favorite Christmas Story? How about a favorite family recipe? Share your memories with the Great Christmas Bowl family! Click here to submit your story and recipe, and YOUR post will be featured here, on the GCB blog! Then, download the entire recipe book at the GCB Tea Party, Saturday December 5th!

Go here to continue on 'The Great Christmas Bowl" Blog Tour