Rick and Bubba Day

We all got up at 4am this morning and headed to Birmingham to sit in the golden ticket seats to watch the Rick and Bubba Show. It was totally worth getting the fam up so early! We made a quick McDonalds stop before entering the studio and enjoyed a couple of hours of the show. We met Rick, Bubba, Greg, Speedy, and several interns. Everyone was super nice and of course Rick and Bubba were hilarious! The funniest part was when they did our "shout out". Rick misread Joi's name as "Jay" so now we have a new nickname for her. We also got our official "Rick and Bubba for President" shirts.

Just in case you ever wonder what they do during commercial breaks, they go chow down on guest-brought food, come talk to the studio audience, Bubba throws a tennis ball against a window, and Rick plays a set of drums that are there for when they have musical guests in studio.

It was a great trip and one I highly recommend as a family friendly outing!

Another breakthrough

Conversation Club was a blast today. We had two new visitors from Taiwan and Macao (I had to look this one up!)

We started today with three games that all dealt with thinking on your feet and spontaneous conversation (Concentration, Story round about, and Memory game). It was a good educational tool and it was also hilarious which breaks down all kinds of cultural barriers.

Lunch consisted of sticky rice chicken, Asian veggie salad, sesame rolls, tofu something and some lotus leaves that I tried to eat but found out it was just a garnish. Sorry, but if it's on a plate, I will try to eat it! I'm pretty sure I could give Andrew Zimmern of "Bizarre Foods" a run for his money.

Our study of Joseph has been a huge hit. Our group totally relates to Joseph's move to another country, going through trials, learning a new language and culture, etc.
Our text today (Gen. 42) led to a great discussion of how Joseph's brothers felt guilty for their sin and that led to some classic questions like:
1. Does this story have a happy ending?
2. How can there be a good God when there is so much tragedy in the world?
3. What do you do with feelings of guilt and regret?

It is totally amazing that God has allowed us to come to the point of praying and studying the Bible together each week. Not only does it help our group with word definitions, grammar rules, reading skills, story comprehension, but it also helps the group see their very real need for God's love and provision.

Several of us had the chance to share our stories of how we came into a relationship with Christ and how we no longer fall under condemnation and how our faith in Christ helps us lead lives that are full of peace vs. guilt.

I had to leave after 2 1/2 hours and the group was still talking and having a blast. This ministry is truly an amazing gift from God. Each week brings incredible experiences. Please pray for us that we would be sensitive to God's leadership and that we would truly see lives changed through this God-given ministry.

Cletus take the reel

Here's a video dedicated to all my fishing buds...and a special dedication to Phil.

FALL BREAK IS HERE!!

This is my (Faith) first time blogging, as a guest blogger, for daddy. (I hope I do well so he'll let me to it again!!) Finally, fall break is here!! We have been waiting for a whole 9 weeks for this one week. Several families from school are going to be out of town, but we're gonna be different and chill at home. This week, we'll watch some of our favorite shows like Survivor, Amazing Race, Biggest Loser, America's Toughest Jobs, Tougher in Alaska, and some good ball games. So far, we've stayed up late, slept in late, and we went shopping and watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua. We all thought it was a very intriguing and funny movie. It's a good family movie that we recommend.

Wednesday, Grandma and Grandpa Buckley are coming from Oklahoma!! We are very excited!! They'll be here for my 13th birthday, too (I'll be an official teenager)! I'm growing so fast that my parents have to buy me new clothes! For our birthdays, the birthday person gets to pick which restaurant she/he wants to go to. I'll probably pick Nothin' But Noodles because I absolutly LOVE noodles!!!

We have been dog-sitting our friends dogs (Rascal and Abby) for a week now. I really like to dog-sit. It's fun for me and Shadow!! Shadow (a huge labradoodle) considers Rascal (a tiny boston terrier) a little play toy. She wants to carry him around the house and show him off.

And finally, we hope to go on a couple of hiking or fishing trips. Hopefully, you've enjoyed my very first guest blog!!
P.S. Tell my daddy I did a good job so he'll let me do this again!)

Fireproof

Last night Amy and I enjoyed a night out at Bridgestreet. We hit Cantina Larado where I totally annialated the Fiesta dinner (ribs, quail, chicken, shrimp). We then saw the new movie Fireproof. It is a must see. You should take your spouse. It will remind you of what marriage is supposed to be all about.

Watch the trailer below and read Focus on the Family's review, then go have a date. You'll be glad you did!

Fireproof the movie

Plugged in online review from Focus on the Family

Greatest Wife in the World

After being married 20 years, Amy knows me inside and out. She continually amazes me by thinking of fun stuff we can do as a couple and as a family. Next Friday we will take an early morning trip to Birmingham to watch the The Rick and Bubba Show. I cannot believe she scored us such sweet tickets! We actually get to sit in the coveted "golden ticket seats" and be part of the in-studio audience. Since it's fall break we get to take the girls as well. They are hooked on the show because we listen every day as I take them to school. The show always leads to some interesting discussions of current events from a Christian perspective...and get some laughs at the same time. If you are in the Huntsville, AL area make sure you listen to The River (100.3) on Oct. 10. We're hoping to get a shout out and extra props for bringing Rick and Bubba's favorite dessert of the day! Let the countdown to Rick and Bubba begin!

Overwhelmed or overjoyed...your choice

I am really being challenged reading through the book of Exodus from a leader's perspective. Today I read Exodus 6:1-9. Be encouraged as you read these insights!



1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country."

2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.'"

9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

Ex 6:1-9 (NIV)


Things to remember when eveything around you seems chaotic, unpredictable, and generally "not good":

vs 1: God is still speaking...are you in listening mode or too freaked out to be still and listen?

vs. 1: God knows how to deal with our adversary(satan). God's mighty hand will cause our adversary to "let us go"

vs.2: We live under an forever covenant made with God through Christ. No matter what my emotions say or what the situation may look like, we are in a covenant relationship with God and He will keep his part of the covenant by protecting us and helping us.

vs. 5: God hears your groaning...He knows what enslaves you.

vs. 6: He will bring you out of all that enslaves and redeem us through an outstreched arm (what a great picture of the cross!)

vs. 7: Never forget...as a believer you are part of His own people and He is your God.

vs. 8: If you trust Him and cooperate with Him, He will bring you to the place He has prepared for you and you will possess what He already has in mind for you

vs. 9: Huge warning: don't be so jaded and spiritually out of tune that you don't listen to God's promises because you are overwhelmed by discouragement and cruel bondage. He is our Encourager and Liberator.