New Blog...

www.pennyrodgersblog.com

Hello, Goodbye...

I'm saying "Hello" to my new website:

www.pennyrodgers.com

But, sadly, I'm officially saying "Goodbye" to my old blog here on blogspot. She's been very good to me!  I've made many new friends because of her.

I don't have my new blog up because I haven't submitted a logo yet and I haven't nailed down my logo yet from Matt.  He's amazing, check him out! Watch out, 'cause once I get it up you won't be able to keep up with all the photos I post!  Keep checkin', I'll have a blog button up soon...

On a whim...

Over the past few days I've seen several people give up their blogs or Facebook accounts.  Well, I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  I'm giving up my blog account.  I've been praying about it for several days and felt like God has wanted me to do this for a while.  I have way more important things to do than worry about what I'm gonna post on my blog... 

Most of you are my real life friends anyway and know where to reach me.

I've almost got my photography website finished and will open a blog for my photography.  Thanks to all of you that have stopped by and have left encouraging comments!

Welcome to my (messy) kitchen!

Because I've been super busy and haven't had any photo shoots lately I thought I would take some photos of what my kitchen has looked like lately.  

It ain't pretty...

This is how my sink has looked for the past week.  There are always dishes in it! I get lazy and don't empty the dishwasher so the dishwasher stays full and so does the sink.  I know, call me a bad housewife...

My faucet is crusted with minerals that I can't get off.  If I would be more methodical when I do dishes and wipe the water off every time then this wouldn't happen, but I don't.  Our town doesn't treat the water so it's high in minerals.  There it is, my excuse as to why the faucet and sprayer are covered in crust!

This is my freezer door.  You better be glad I didn't take a photo of the fridge part.  We have TWO sets of the Leap Frog letters on the bottom.  You know, one for each kid.  I'm surprised the fridge hasn't toppled over because it's so front heavy.

This is my "pantry."  I don't have one that is enclosed.  But I really wish I did. I always want all these cool kitchen gadgets, then get them home and have no where to store them.  Like my magic bullet.  It's one of my faves, but there's no where to put it.  So it stays in the box till I'm ready to use it.  Then there's the steamer for crab, and the rice cooker, and the ginormous pasta bowl...

Don't look at those VERY healthy snacks I buy for my kiddos...

This corner of my counter top may just be the death of me.  It's where everything is placed, as you can tell.  Books, techno-geek stuff, cologne, lotion, perfume, kleenex, stacks of papers, a candle, and random kid stuff.  Everyone else has a junk drawer, I have a junk corner!

Please reassure me that I'm not the only one who lives like this...

Like a Child

This bronze statue of Jesus sits in a courtyard outside our church.  When it was donated to our church there were many debates as to where it should be placed.  Some said it should stay inside so that it wouldn't get vandalized or damaged.  Others said it should go outside to let the community know what we're about.  The "outsiders" won the battle and it was mounted in the middle of the high traffic courtyard.  It's become a jungle gym, a skate ramp, and to most, a really cool piece of art.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays our church hosts Upward Basketball.  The student ministry has taken on the task of providing a concession stand.  The profit goes towards the students who work at the concession.  Every Tuesday and Thursday night we're camped out at the church.  

So, tonight, we were looking for Caed and couldn't find him.  We had several adults and students looking for him.  Finally, James spotted him outside.  I was already furious because he knows he's not supposed to be outside without permission.  James summoned me over to the glass doors.  Caed was sitting on the shoulders of the bronze statue of Jesus.  He was out there all by himself just sitting there.  I ran as fast as I could up the stairs to snag my camera and snap a photo before he realized we were watching.  As I went to take the photo he started clapping his hands in the air (we later learned he was trying to catch a bug).  As the photo was captured on the sensor it looked like he was raising his hands in praise to God.  My heart fluttered...

I said a quick prayer and asked Jesus to keep him like this forever, forever on the shoulders of Jesus, like a child, with his arms raised in praise to our Heavenly Father.  Thank you, Jesus, for the things you show me through innocence...

 

Misconceptions...

For several weeks James and I have been reevaluating our ministry.  At our student worker training meeting we came up with a list, a list of things we wanted students to learn from our student ministry.  It included things like bringing your bible to church,  quit wearing your hats in the sanctuary so the old people will quit complaining to James, be faithful in coming to church activities, and build up strong student leaders.  But through the course of the weekend we realized that we have totally missed the mark.  The mark is to show students how to love Jesus.  Let me say it again, "We want to SHOW students how to love Jesus."  It's not about the list.  If you show students how to love Jesus, "the list" should fall into place...

Our town is home to FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center). FLETC trains border patrol agents, air marshals, and several other law enforcement entities.  But because it's just a training center most of the people who come to train are only here for 6 months to a year.  We have several friends that have been here and moved on because of FLETC.

Last night we met Adam.  He just graduated from FLETC.  He's originally from Atlanta and once he finishes his spanish classes he'll be going back.  Adam started to share his testimony, how he went from a college fraternity partier to a Jesus Lover.  It is an incredible story.  I shared with him our training meeting a few weeks ago and about "the list."  He said "the list" is why he didn't come to know Christ sooner.  He always thought he had to "get it together" first, then become a Christian.  In college, he was invited to church by a "hot, college chick" and decided to go.  Instead of forming a relationship with a girl he found Jesus.

Although this video is HILARIOUS, I think it portrays how we sometimes see Jesus.  That he's keeping score, waiting to tell us there is no hope because we haven't followed "the list."  I'm thankful that Jesus doesn't keep score and that He paid the ultimate sacrifice just because He loves me.  The one thing I can do in return is love Him and love others.

James hopefully has a blog coming about this also...

It's Perry, what else can I say...

Our friends Missy, Perry and their daughter Austyn came to help last night at the Valentines dance.  By the way, thank you for coming.  We couldn't have handled it without you.

Perry.  What can I say...

He became a little obsessed with the Booth.  Maybe it's because he used to be a model and he misses being in front of the camera!  I only posted 5 shots, but he at least 10!  He was addicted...

But for those of you that know him, it's Perry, what else can I say...