AND THE WINNER IS..........

Sorry for the late post but we wanted to wait for the awesome pictures that Louise took so we could include them on this particular post.

Wasn't the thrift store shopping and the scavenger hunt just a fun, fun time? More than a few of us were introduced to stores that we will definitely be visiting again in the future.

Once we stopped at the first store we were all off and running like a bunch of crazies! It was quite a spectacle to see a group of seemingly dignified ladies rummaging through a large pile of bras and then giving up a significantly loud 'yahoo'. Surely people thought that someone had found something of value that was accidentally put in a donation bag and would be striking it rich on Antique Road Show. But, alas, it was only a 44DD...

Lunch was a good time too. Sugar sisters had a variety of wonderful choices and dessert goodies to boot. The tiny cupcakes were just too cute and tasted good too.

The eventual winners of the scavenger hunt were: Kim, Toni and Tonya. Good job girls!

Here are a few of the photos taken throughout the day. Enjoy! ( I am not too good on embedding the pics yet! I couldn't get them in the order I wanted...maybe next time:) )

Upcoming Ladies Events......Ya'll Come!

We have a very exciting new event coming on Saturday, July 17th. It is our first "Thrift Store Shopping and Scavenger Hunt." It works like this: come to the church at 9:30 on July 17th. We will head out to several thrift stores, resale shops and an antique store or two. At these stores, you can shop for yourselves, your kiddos, etc... AND in addition to or in place of shopping, you will have a list of several items to locate throughout the day. Once you find an item on the list, you will write down the name of the store you found it in and check it off the list. Whoever finds all of the items first or whoever has the most items checked off at the end of the day, will be the GRAND PRIZE WINNER of a free one night stay at the Prarie Garden Bed and Breakfast in Sterling, Ks! Who couldn't use a night away...and for free!! Plan to join us for this fun event...and Oh yea, we will be stopping for lunch sometime in between all the shopping and scavengering ( is that a word?)

Secondly, we have a wonderful Ladies Retreat on August 6th and 7th in Broken Arrow, OK ,where we will hear Priscilla Shirer speak. Many of you may already be familiar with Priscilla. She is the daughter of Tony Evans and is a very gifted speaker. You will not come away disappointed!!
The deadline for signing up (and paying up-ha) is July 11th. The cost is $95 (plus you will need to bring money for your meals).
We will leave the church at 12:00 on Friday the 6th (please have eaten lunch already) and will arrive at our hotel around 3ish. We will check in, then head to a local restaurant for an early dinner, then head on over to the event.
After the evening message, we will head back to the hotel for some 'girly' time. (Hint: bring your favorite color of nail polish). Hopefully, we will get to sleep at a decent hour--when exactly is that?
In the morning, we will have breakfast at the hotel, pack up, and return to the church for the rest of the messages. When is it all done, (around noon) we will get on the road and stop along the way for a quick bite. We should pull in at the church around 4 on Saturday. Those of you attending Megan Gobel's wedding should have plenty of time for a shower and change :)
Hope to see you all at these exciting events. These are great times to get to know one another and build friendships with other FaithGalz!!

Melt in your mouth...Delicious!

Today was the Mexican Fiesta fundraiser for the youth group and what a wonderful fiesta it was! The tables were decorated with beautifully colored napkins and gerber daisy centerpieces. How pretty. The meal was just as enjoyable. We were served, tacos, refried beans, enchiladas and a FABULOUS dessert...sopapilla cheesecake!! Oh, that my friend, is good stuff!
A big thank you goes out to the wonderful Mrs. Karen Vogt for accepting the challenge of organizing this event. I'm sure she had others who assisted her and we send you all a big thanks as well. Food always seems to be so much better when I don't have to cook it myself. Do you find that true for you too?
I have been thinking lately about 'summer cooking' and was wondering if anyone has a tasty, simple, and inexpensive meal or salad (or dessert..yum) that you would care to share with us?
Here is one version of the sopapilla cheesecake that we had today...
Ingredients
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough

1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
Directions
1.Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.Beat the cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups of sugar, and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape the each piece into 9x13 inch rectangles. Press one piece into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.
3.Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Stir the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar together with the cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the cheesecake along with the almonds.
4.Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Graduation Time

Happy May Everyone! The past few days have been a little stormy in our neck of the woods, haven't they?
But I sure enjoy a soft summer rain and even the sounds of an occasional good old fashioned Kansas thunder/lightening storm (as long as it's kind of off in the distance and the lightening doesn't strike too close). :)
This time of year has us busy, doesn't it? With Mother's Day, graduations and the beginning of the summer wedding season......not to mention that school will be out soon and all the kids will be home from school or college. Do you find yourself already thinking, "What are we going to do this summer?" I do. Somehow my 'to do' list is always longer than my 'done' list. It seems that I often find myself saying "Oh, I'll get to that (whatever it may be) this summer when I have more time". More time.....who am I kidding?
What will you all be doing for the summer?

Me, Myself and Lies: A Thought Closet Makeover (Video-based Bible Study)

Ladies,
Please consider joining us on Sunday mornings for this study. We have been learning about
renewing our minds and I believe this will be a useful study to help us see ourselves as God sees us.
Hope to see you there beginning on May 2nd.

BEEEEEP....

BEEEP.......

• This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. The broadcasters of your area in voluntary cooperation with the FCC and other authorities (or, in later years, "federal, state and local authorities") have developed this system to keep you informed in the event of an emergency.  If this had been an actual emergency, you would have been instructed where to tune in your area for news and official information."

Does this sound at all familiar (and maybe a little comforting) to you? A few afternoons ago, I was catching a few much needed minutes of 'blob' time, sitting down catching up on some celebrity gossip ( flipping through the channels) when across the top of the screen rolled a typed 'Thunderstorm Warning' for a nearby county.  For some reason my mind flashed to the old fashioned Emergency Broadcast System test that we used to hear at least monthly. Sadly, I am old enough to even remember seeing the Indian in a circle on the TV screen while the test was being administered. Now days, if it runs, I believe the screen shows rainbow colored vertical lines while the BEEEEP plays out. Another emergency test I'm accustomed  to hearing is the weekly, Monday, at noon, tornado siren screaming. I realize that it seems weird for such an ear piercing noise to be comforting, but knowing it is working somehow makes me feel secure. 

I began to ponder the phrase '"If this had been an actual emergency, you would have been instructed where to tune in your area for news and official information."

I think that's what we do as Christians....We know there IS an ACTUAL emergency...People are lost, dying and going to hell all around us. We are here to 'instruct' them where, or better yet, WHO, to turn to for the official information on avoiding destruction. I know often times, I am too quiet, when in fact, I should be the siren. How about you? But once we share the love of Christ with those in our circle of influence, and they recognize their need for Christ, they are so grateful that someone chose to be the one to sound the alarm to keep them from certain doom. It's a comfort to know someone cares and is looking out for you, isn't it?

We've got the right information and know WHO to turn to so --get out there and MAKE SOME NOISE! 

Love.Grow.Serve

Didn't you just enjoy the message Danny gave today? How exciting to see the Lord giving him a vision for our church to reach out to our community. I can't wait to see what God will do with our obedience to Him.

Speaking of obedience, I would encourage you to spend some time this week reading about Jesus' entry into Jerusulem and how He spent His last week before the crucifixion. Yesterday, as I was reading Luke chapters 22-24, I couldn't help but re-read chapter 23 verse 11, where Jesus had been taken before Herod. The particular phrase in the NASB that drew me in was: "....after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a georgeous robe...." It was the  word 'contempt' that kept pulling me back.
Just for fun, I looked up the definition of contempt in the online Miriam Webster's Dictionary and found two definitions that caused me to ponder. They were:  1. willful disobedience to or open disrespect of a court, judge, or legislative body and 2.  lack of respect or reverence for something or someone. I mulled over the thought that if I am wilfully disobedient, even in the smallest way, to the Lord  throughout the week and then come to church on Sunday putting Him 'in a georgeous robe' of a King, it is nothing but mockery and contempt toward the Judge/Maker of the universe.
Lord, forgive me/us for times when we don't chose to obey you and your Word. When we choose our own way instead of Your best way. Thank you, Jesus, for choosing to be obedient even unto death.

Spring????

Well, as I sit and look out the window I am not sure exactly what happened to Spring! I have been looking forward to it and actually already thought it was here!  I guess I kinda get a second change to "redo" the beginning of it and actually I did not get as much accomplished from the first round of warm weather!  So I am trying to be positive looking out the window at the fresh snow and think of it as a second chance to start Spring again...hopefully next week??? 

With that said, maybe you need a second chance too.  Maybe you need to start fresh with a friend or "cleanse" yourself of a habit that is not healthy for you.  Possibly God is asking you to start down a new path that you have been holding back on or seek forgiveness from someone or give forgiveness to someone.  I am always thankful for the opportunities that sometimes I think have past and yet God gives me another opportunity!  I hope you will reach for that opportunity this week whatever it may be.

Lastly, Pat is back!!! Yea, sure missed her and I am sure you did to.  I know she will have many things to share with us of her trip.  I know we will all be looking forward to that.  I have enjoyed the ladies in her sunday school class and I am thankful for the opportunity (although I must say I was scarred to death of it) to spend some time there and get to know some of our ladies better.  Welcome Home Pat!

I am going to list a few helpful tips below that Janie gave to us to help us with our our flowers!

• Plant pansies, snapdragons, calendulas, and other cool loving annuals.
• Clean up perennial bed by cutting back foliage and removing winter mulch.
• Prepare soil for annual planting by adding organic matter such as compost.
• Fertilize gardens as growth begins.
• Take a soil test if one has not been done in the last five years.
• Start seeds under lights indoors for transplanting to the garden.
• Remove winter mulch from roses and prune as needed.
• Plant new roses.
• Fertilize spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and daffodils before flowering.
• Cut seedpods from spent bulbs.
• Help control iris borders by destroying old foliage before new growth begins.
• Mail order plants should be unwrapped, kept cool and moist, until planting.

Enjoy!  Hope your spring is full of growth in your gardens as well as your life!

Kim

Spring!! Yea, I can't wait!

First of all let me just apologize for the lateness of this post!  Your new pastor's wife could do well to take a course in computer technology!  I will fill you in that this is not even my first draft as I accidentaly deleted the first.  I am just writing it off to that it was not the direction in which God wanted me to write...that is my story and I am sticking to it!  Could be again, that I am just a women who should never be allowed to touch anything electronic and this is according to my husband!  I am so thankful for Pat taking on this blog and am missing her terribly!

With that said I am not sure how many of you managed to noticed the small little peeks of sunshine this past week? Those little "peeks" have been teasing us with our upcoming Spring! I don't know about you but I am so ready for some warmth on my face, birds singing and flowers budding. Not to mention that my kids can go outside longer than thirty minutes at a time and not bring in half the mud in my yard into my entryway.  I am also ready for the piles of boots, scarfs and coats to be hidden away for another time.  Good grief with nine kids it looks like a small army moved in when you walk in the house after they have "offloaded" all their warm belongings.  It honestly can be a hazard to walk into or out of our house when these lovely children decide that they don't need to put away their coats because "we are going to use them again in a little bit."

I think I started all of this to talk of the beginning of Spring! I love spring because it brings about a newness to our house and I am sure yours.  The new year is now in full swing and I don't know about you but I like some of the changes that this season brings.  Of course the weather is changed from cold, grey skies and yards full of white brilliant snow (well for a day or so till it is trampled by kids) to bright, beautiful skies;  skies that are sometimes sprinkled with raindrops that just seem to refresh the air and fragrant beginnings of beautiful flowers.

Then there is spring cleaning!  There is nothing like the smell and feeling of a spring cleaned house. This is not the most favorite event at my home and most try to escape or run as far away as possible...especially the kids. They know that it will be frantic and hectic until all this is done not to mention that I will desire for the house to remain sparkling clean for atleast a day or two.  With my crew this is almost an impossible task and I must admit that when things start to come out of their assigned places it does not thrill me all too much! Even though, I love Spring cleaning, it just brings about a refreshing change to the household.

Now one of the things about spring that I do not care too much about actually I detest, is the changing out of winter clothes to the summer clothes!  With nine kids I cannot tell you how much I dread and put off this job! It brings about more laundry that I can even imagine and it seems I will never catch up with. I usually think about it for weeks ahead of time dreading it like someone would do thinking about a upcoming dental appointment!  Finally though I will usually gather my self together and get it done!  After the job is done I cannot tell you the feeling of accomplishment and happiness and that I don't have to do it again for a few months when I drag out all those winter coats.

With Spring bringing about noticeable changes outside and possibly changes inside your home I hope that we will be as women always changing and growing too!  Most importantly in our love for God!  As Mathew 22:37 states to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."  I wish that I could say that I did that consistently and that was the thing constantly on my mind. I want to continue to grow in that area for many reasons.  I want to know more of Christ, to be an example to my children, an testimony to others and so much more.  I have realized beyond the most important thing being my salvation when it comes to my realationship with Christ that I need and desire to love Him more.  When I love Christ "with all my heart, soul, and mind" all other things fall into place.  I serve because I love Him, I forgive because I love Him, I repent because I love him, I tell others about Him because I love Him and more.

I have a long way to go and as I think of the changes of Spring it reminds me that I want to be changing daily.  I don't want to stay in the same spot that I have was in yesterday.  I am excited about our ladies at Faith and the changes God is going to do in our lives this year an I hope that we will encourage one another and love one another through all of our imperfections ( trust me, I have tons).  I promise that every time I write on here that it will not be this long.  Sometimes I might just say hi and leave all the writing to Pat as she is so good at that!  We will also be filling you with all kinds of good and fun practical things so keep checking in!

Pray for Pat

Ladies,

Pat is leaving this Saturday to Las Matas de Farfan, Deminican Republic. She has such a heart for the people there and loves to go and help them. She will be scrubbing in surgery for LONG days.

• Pray for those who come to the clinics in the villages and those who come to the hospital for surgery to have tender hearts and be receptive to the Gospel. It is exciting to hear how many people came to know the Lord, each time she returns.
• Every year they have team members get ill. Please pray for the health of the team.
• Pat has difficuly travelling and gets sick easy. Pray she will not get sick while traveling there and back. 
•  Please pray she will be able to sleep well at night. There are annoying chickens that keep them up.

While we will be praying for her, she will be praying for us.
Thank you all for praying for Pat.

Join Us for Good Times At the Alley

Ladies,

We have a fun time of fellowship and laughter planned for Thursday March 11th  at The Alley.

It will be from 6:30 to 8:30- all the bowling and go carts you can squeeze in. We will also have pizza and pop. The cost is $12 per person and this needs to be given to Kim or Christy by next Sunday, March 7th.

Hope to see you all there!

Ladies Sunday School

I am hoping by the time this post is up that we will have a 'pretty' new template for the blog. Thanks, Mr. Brent, for your assistance.

I wanted to extend everyone an official invitation to come join the Sunday morning Bible study at Faith. We are currently studying Romans chapter 12. It seems every time we begin a new study, it is 'exactly' what I have been contemplating for some time. Of course, that is what the Holy Spirit does- leads us to Truth- and boy, is Romans 12 packed full of practical application for our lives.

This week our home work was to make a list of our top three strengths and our top three weaknesses.

Send us a comment and share your answers with us.....We will learn alot about one another.

Here We Go......

Well Ladies,
Welcome to the FaithGalz blog site. I have been working on getting a more 'hip' template up and running but without success. So, for now, we will use a generic template and, as I learn more, maybe we can upgrade the graphics.
I am thrilled to have a site for us "gals" to come and share, encourage, and just keep up with one another.Our goal in having this blog is to build a community where ladies can have fun and build our faith; from sharing fashion tips and favorite recipes to challenging and encouraging one another in this thing we call the Christian Life.

We hope you will post comments often and send your friends to the site as well. Please let Kim, Christy or Pat know if you have something you would like to have posted to the blog. We will aim to keep things 'general' and as beneficial to as many as possible. We won't be posting personal requests or items for sale, etc.

God Bless You All.......Can't wait to hear from lots of you!

Here are some pictures of the fun "How Sweet It Is" chocolate event we had on February 9th. If you were unable to make it, know for sure, you were missed!




Can you say "Too Much Chocolate"?


Our own talented Crafty Christy! How come hers turned out so much better than mine?





We have a WINNER!


Kim sharing a little of her background...she'll fit right in!

OK, FaithGalz, log on and let us all know:
1.What was your favorite chocolate dessert at our "How Sweet It Is.." event? and/or
2. What did you do on Valentine's Day?

To comment: click on the word "comment" on this post and it will open a text box for you to type in. If you have a Google account with a URL then use it but if not just pick ANONYMOUS and type your name at the end.