I Am Going Back To Jail - and I am excited about it!

It has been a while since I have written. I guess I just did not have anything to say that I felt was worth writing about. However, I have some interesting news that I am excited about now. Actually it came about last Sunday. I was asked by the director of the Clark County REC #5 to be in charge of putting together a music team for the weekend. If you have been reading my posts, or know me, you would know that I was on the music team for the Clark County REC #3 last year. I was definately hoping that I would get to do that again soon. Well this time, I am not only getting to play, but I am actually putting the music team together. It is a huge responsibility, and I am honored to be given the task. Now, as a drummer, it is kind of hard in dealing with the chord sheets and stuff for the singers and other musicians, since as a drummer I could care less about chords......but, I am pretty confident that I can make it work. I already have most of the band put together, and they are all very excited to be a part of this ministry.

The REC is basically an Emmaus Walk for those people who are in jails or prisons. If you don't know what an Emmaus Walk is, it is a weekend of getting away from everything and having time to focus on your spiritual walk, your relationship with Christ, and to help Christians become better leaders in their community. The REC is similar, although it is adapted for those who are incarcerated, and is more evengelical in nature, since many who attend are not already Christians.

I am looking forward to this opportunity to visit the jail again and to worship the Lord with a group of people who, sadly, are forgotten by many in the community. Ya, they have messed up and are there for a reason, but through Christ they can have the same eternal freedom that we are all promised! I think it is awsome that our theme song for the weekend is "I Am Free." We want to show these ladies that although they are not physically free to do what they want, if they choose to follow Christ, they are free indeed!

John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

The Big Game

Today I went to see my niece play basketball.....she is 4. Her team is called the Black Knights and they played against the Bumblebees. I think this was her 2nd game but it was the first one that I have been to. It was too cute. They have these little short goals, and a miniature basketball. They basically take turns on who gets to bring the ball down the court, and of course there is no passing, and not much dribbling, but.......they have to start somewhere.

I posted a little video of Faith bringing the ball down the court. For some reason, when she has the ball, she can't seem to say on her feet. It is pretty funny. You will notice how she loses the ball to the other team and they give it back. How cute is that. They love to take turns.

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