Part 2 of Last Weekend

In my last post I said that I was going to post a part 2 of my weekend that I had....last weekend. I guess since this weekend is already here, I should probably do that. I dont know if anyone even reads my blogs, so maybe no one has even been waiting for part 2, but here it is anyway.

Last weekend, besides playing in the band for the Rise to the Challenge middle school retreat, Mike and I also sponsored Patrick on a Chrysalis. For anyone who does not know what that is, it is similar to an Emmaus Walk but it is designed for teenagers. For those of you who don't know what an Emmaus Walk is...just read my old blogs and you will learn all about it.

I felt very blessed to get to sponsor Patrick on his Chrysalis, as he is one of my best friends. I know the blessing I got from going on my Emmaus Walk, and even more so from working on an Emmaus Walk and an REC. I was happy to be giving Patrick a chance to receive those blessings as well.

When we got to see Patrick it was great to see that he had experienced God in a new way...and mostly through the selfless love of others, mostly people who he did not even know. I prayed and continue to pray that this experience was great for him and that in some ways I got to and still get to help in his continued Walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Love you Patrick!

Rise to the Challenge Blog Part 1

This past weekend was a very busy but very fulfilling one for Mike and me, as well as many others. A while back I was asked to put together a band to play for a retreat at the Highland Hills Middle School. It was for junior high aged kids. I put together a band of people who I already play with regularly, and it turned out awesome. Barry on lead vocals and guitar, Andy lead guitar, Mike on bass guitar, Thomas on keys, and myself on drums. We had an awesome time playing together and it would seem that the crowd, kids and adult workers as well, really got into the worship big time and loved praising God through the music. Since we were set up in a gym and playing for young teenagers, we really got to rock it out as big as we wanted to, and boy did we take advantage of that opportunity. It is not too often that we get that chance. It was so awesome to see the kids raising their hands, jumping up and down, dancing and holding onto friend, just so excited and happy to be worshipping God. You saw at the beginning of the blog some pictures and below is a video. It too way to long to upload this, so here is a link to my youtube page where all of the videos are uploaded. You can hear first hand what we did, and in some of the videos, you can see the kiddos jumping around and having a blast.

http://www.youtube.com/amym1130 (click here to view all of the videos)

My weekend also involved another exciting event, which I will blog about in part 2, so come back soon.

Wii Fun!

Much to my sister-in-law's surprise, yes, I played a Wii for the FIRST time on December 23rd. We were at my best friend, Laura's house and we played it and had an awesome time. I loved it. I always figured I would enjoy the Wii more than traditional video game consoles, because of the more "involved and active" nature of the games and the controller technology. Well I was right. I played it and I was hooked. So the next day...on Christmas Eve, Mike and I are out looking for a Wii. Now, we are sensible people and realized that we would probably not find one, and we didn't, but it was worth a try.

Last night, we had our Christmas gathering with my dad and family in Madison. We got our Christmas gift from my dad, which is money, and the thought is that when we can find it, we will get the Wii. On the way home we decided to stop in the Walmart in Scottsburg, and I went straight for the electronics area. I see what I think is a Wii console but I figure it can't be, it must be the Wii fitness or something like that. There was a Walmart worker standing there so I ask, is that a Wii? He says ya..."we just found it. We told someone a little while ago we were sold out and then we found this one back there. We just put it in the case 5 minutes ago." Of course I quickly say I want it and we got our other things to go along with it and made our purchase.

I have already throughly enjoyed my new toy. Mike and I stayed up too late last night playing, knowing that we would be getting up early for church, but it was worth it! And yes, we did get up and go to church! Then after lunch today, "our boys" came over and we had hours of Wii fun playing.

So that is one of my Christmas fun stories. I know we are not to relish material things, and I can say I am one who does not do that, and I think most who know me would agree to that. But, I do think that God allows us to have fun things and He enjoys seeing His children have fun, and I can't help but wonder....were we prompted to leave Madison just at the right time, and prompted to stop at that Walmart just in time to find that Wii? Hmm....makes you wonder. I know for sure that my God works in the big things in my life AND the little things....

Guatemala Bed Frenzie!

My last post was about how I am on a mission to get beds for families in the ghetto of Guatemala city who are very very poor. Read the previous post for more information on that. Well I am so pleased and thankful to God to say that I have already sent $150.00 to Ashley, my friend and contact in Guatemala, and she bought 5 twin beds with that money. Those beds were a huge blessing to some families there. I also have already gotten $600 more that was donated by other people to send down there to purchase more beds!! The families in the ghetto of Guatemala are going to be so blessed by the people here in Indiana who have been so gracious as to donate to them.

I can say that this has me aching to be able to go down there myself and help buy, deliver, and set up the beds, but I don't think that is going to happen......however, I don't ever put limits on God! If He wants it to happen, it will happen. But, if it does not, I will be sure to ask Ashley to take bunches of pictures for me of the "bed frenzie" in the ghetto and send them to me so I can enjoy and share them.

A big shout out of thanks to Mom, Chastity, the Hornung family and the Cook family!! You shall be blessed by God for your generosity!

Ever since I have been back from Guatemala this last time I have been working on another mission that I came up while I was down there. As we hosted families into Ashley's house and fed them dinner, we were able to get to know the familes and their situations. This family was our first guests the very first night I was there. I learned that they do not have a bed. Many famlies here in la Limonada have a bed but there will be many who sleep in that one bed. Yet, some don't have even one bed. This family lives in a tin shack of a house, that has a dirt floor. They have no beds at all so they sleep on blankets on the floor. During the raining season, the water comes into the house and the floor where they sleep becomes mud. I felt a strong pull to be sure this family would receive a bed. I talked to Ashley about it and she got some things worked out in her end and found out that we can buy a set of bunk beds for $150 each. I had already been saving up money for this express purpose, so I have already sent the check to buy this family this set of bunk beds. Below you will see pictures of this family. They make tortillas in their home to sell to try to make money. doing this day in and day out makes their walls stained from the smoke and soot of the fire. This is their reality, their life, everyday of every week of every month. I am praying that when they get this bed given to them that they will see love and I pray that the love they see is the love of Jesus Christ. I want them to embrace His love.

Look at these pictures. Look at the situation they are living in right now. Then come back later and see them again with their new bunk beds in their home. See the excitement that will be in their eyes.

Once Ashley gets the beds and they get them in this family's house, she will get us some more pictures to see how it looks. Then the next step is to see who else we can help. Ashley already has two more familes in mind who are in similiar situations, and who need beds. If anyone of you out there reading this would like to join in with this mission, please please contact me at my email amym1130@aol.com I would love to have others join in this mission with me. You will be so blessed if you do.

Thanks for taking time to read this and if you want to read more about my last trip to Guatemala, click on the link below. It will take you to the page where I blogged and put up pictures after I returned from my trip.

http://amysbeat.blogspot.com/2008/09/guatemala-my-second-home.html

visit

A month ago I met a new friend, who happens to be a pastor. He pastors a small church off highway 135, between New Salisbury and Corydon. I told him that we would come visit him sometime soon, and today was the day. Mike and I went to his church this morning. It was a very nice visit. Their church is small, only around 50-55 in attendence. It was really nice, everyone was very friendly and it seemed like a family. It is a Methodist church, so they only take communion each month there is a 5th Sunday, so today was a special communion service. I really enjoyed how we all went forward to partake in the communion meal. It makes it a very active participation in the communion ceremony. I liked that. I am sure I will be around there for more visits soon.

After church Mike and I went out with my friend and his wife for lunch and had a really good time. It was nice to be able to sit down and just chat with some good friends. Then this evening Mike and I went to my parents house. Today is my birthday, so my mom made my favorite meal and a birthday cake for me, and we enjoyed visiting with them and my brother and his family.

It was a very nice day all around. A good day for a birthday.

Emmaus Walk

It has been a week now since the ending of the women's Emmaus Walk that I worked. I planned to blog about it as soon as I got home but for some reason I just did not feel like I had the words to say at that time.

For those who don't know, I was playing drums on the music team for the walk. And for those of you who don't know what an Emmaus Walk is, I will just say that it is a 72 hour experience that is open to all Christians to attend, and it is designed to help you focus on your walk with the Lord, strengthen your walk, and help you become a better servent for our God. If you have never been on one and want to go, let Mike or myself know and we'd love to talk to you about it and if you feel it is for you, we'd sponsor you to go.

This walk was the first one that I had worked. I worked on an REC, which is the same kind of experience but for those who are incarcerated. I loved working that REC. I know that I blogged about it a while back when I did it. This was different, and I really did not know what to expect, but it was great. I saw many women open themselves up to the working of the Holy Spirit, and because of that many lives were changed..for the better!! Since I was playing drums and not working as closely with the women, I did not get to know a lot of them, but I did have a few who I talked to and one who I am keeping in contact with. She grew a lot on the walk but still has a lot of stuff to deal with and I want to continue to talk to her and get to know her and hopefully God will help me to help her. I also came home with a new good friend, which I did not expect to do. He was actually working the walk also. He is a pastor and a great man of God! We got the chance to talk and get to know one another and build the start of a new friendship that I hope continues.

I do have to say that God intervened in a great way on this walk, on many occasions. The most personal and close to home for me was the band. We had a tough time getting things together and did not feel (at least I did not feel) that we were ready, but I think that God worked through us and the women seemed to really have a great time worshiping God through the music. That is the whole reason that we are there, to lead them in praising and worshipping God, so....mission accomplished. Yet another time when God came through and made things happen.......God is Good!

One more note, I was asked by someone who I saw this past weekend to put together a music team for a middle school event in January. I am pretty excited about this. I have already started working on it, and am looking forward to rocking it out with a bunch of middle schoolers, and hopefully bringing some of them to Christ!!