Sunday Morning Coming Down....

It's a quiet morning, here at the Whaley house. I've been up for quite a while now, both the girls are still sleeping. Even Sandy is still curled up on her blanket! I've taken this time to catch up on reading blogs, the news...do some net surfin'...and just 'enjoy the moment'. I got to talk to my best buddy Shane, down in the Promise Land of Arkansas this morning on Facebook chat, prior to his morning worship service. He's vision casting this morning for 2009...I've been prayin' for him.

Found a great new interactive site for church leaders...missional thinkers...church planters...collegiate pastors...etc, that you really should check out. It called The Urban Loft. By all means, drop by...and join up if you're interested.

Started reading a new book last night that I got for Christmas. The title is "Pop Goes The Church" by Tim Stevens. I literally couldn't put it down! It's a fresh new look at how today's church is/isn't using today's pop culture in growing the Kingdom. I would strongly recommend it! But be careful...it's brash...in-your-face...and possibly controversial. But highly powerful! Definitely will be on my Top Shelf!

As I sit here, the wind outside is howling like mad! We're back to our 40+mph wind zone! Yesterday was a record setting day for high temperatures. We were in the 70's yesterday...and today, will only get to the high 40's. Sounds like another cold could make it's way around thanks to the drastic changes in the weather.

Today, hopefully, will be a cruise day for me. After working till 1pm yesterday at the pharmacy, the girls and I spent the rest of the day in full-blown cleaning mode (more about that later!). We did get to watch a couple of really good Christmas-themed movies last night, I think on the Hallmark channel. But today...yep, it's gonna be quiet! I'm planning on doing a few 'smaller' things on my H2O to-do list before next semester begins. It's amazing how little things can always grow into big things! LOL!

Hope you have a great Sunday as well...time for me to crank up itunes...think I'll head for the coffee pot first...

Christmas Eve Thoughts...

Here it is, already after mid-night on Christmas Eve, yet somehow, I still can't go to bed. Something about the magic in the air that surrounds this single day of the year. Even though our home is decorated in festive fashion, and our Christmas tree is magnificent, my mind slips back to that cold night in Bethlehem where a young couple couldn't even find a empty hotel room. The winds here tonight have been howling like mad all evening, and I can only imagine what the winds must have been like that chosen evening. It's been hard just to walk upright in these winds, and driving has been next to impossible. Wonder what it was like for those two...soon to be three...as they journeyed just to get in out of the weather? And seriously, a cave wasn't too great of a place to stay. I doubt seriously if either of us would spend the night in a cave, surrounded by animals, if we couldn't get a room at the Holiday Inn Express! But then again, that's my Jesus.

Tonight has been filled with thoughts of Christmas around our house. Tabitha enjoyed a Christmas Eve Service with Devin at his church in Melmore...Denise and I enjoyed the Christmas Eve Service online from Trinity Life Center in Shepherdsville, KY. Our good friends T.J. & Melissa Scott serve on staff there. Afterwards, our family loves to watch Christmas movies...so to say the least, we've had plenty to choose from this past week! And for me...I've done my traditional Christmas wrapping! My father always had a tradition of 'having' to be in the hustle & bustle of Christmas Eve Shopping. And I have since carried on that tradition. For some unknown, crazy reason, I 'have' to be out in the midst of the mayhem on Christmas Eve. That's the true day of the year, when you are able to 'truly' see what a person is really all about, and what they stand for. I get a year's supply of sermon illustrations on this day alone, and today was no exception! LOL!

The Christmas Tree lights are still on, lighting up the dining room. It stands there almost as a protector of all the presents that are underneath. Tomorrow morning, the quietness of the room will give way to mass chaos as we dive in head first into the presents...and paper, bows and ribbons become projectiles! Man, I can't wait! Definitely got to have my coffee before I start that!

The girls have long gone to bed...they're the smart ones...they know Santa's on his way...and I've been enjoying the warmth and crackling of the fireplace. A good cup of coffee and that fireplace is a hard combination to beat! And I've been extra blessed by being about to chat with many of my students from H2O, and friends back home on Facebook. Geez, I love my students! The Christmas break sometimes seems forever, especially when you're used to being around each other soooo much! I pray that each of them have an incredible time with their families...and enjoy this time off...the Spring Semester looms in the distance.

I guess I need to finish up my coffee, and head to bed...NexRad says that Santa is somewhere over Canada...and that's real close. I better stoke up the fire real good...definitely want to give him a 'warm' welcome!

If you're traveling, please be safe...enjoy every moment of family time, even those in-laws and out-laws that always seem to get under your skin...eat lots of goodies! I've already got my GPS programmed to the goodie table! But more importantly, may you see the Christ in CHRISTmas.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

You Better Watch Out...

Partners...

For those of you who are new to 'the Grind', I'd like to share with you about our ministry. My family and I are missionaries on the Northcoast of Ohio. I'm the Collegiate Pastor at Tiffin University, and Pastor for The River Church in Tiffin, Ohio. Since we are MSC (Mission Service Corp) Missionaries, we are responsible for raising our own financial support. We are very thankful to have three churches that support us: Grace Baptist Church in Tiffin, Ohio; First Baptist Church in Sheffield Lake, Ohio; and First Baptist Church in Woodville, Ohio. However, we are in need of additional financial support. I would humbly ask that you...your family...your church, give serious prayer about becoming a regular financial partner. Maybe you also know someone who is looking for a ministry to make a year-end contribution to. If so, please share our ministry with them. All donations/contributions are tax deductible for your convience.

On my side bar, I keep this small article at the very top of the bar.

If you would like to financially support our family and our Campus Ministry, CLICK HERE to make your donations online. Your support will allow us to dedicate our time to vocational ministry and to echo the statement made by the Old Testament prophet Nehemiah, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.” (Neh. 6:3) God Bless you as you pray and seek His will. Thank you for your support and friendship for our work.

If God so leads you, please follow the link above to make all your contributions. Here, you can also set up an account to make monthly contributions. Thank you so much for considering our ministry.

The Whaley's
Jim, Denise & Tabitha

CCCCCold.....

Wow! I seriously can't remember ever being in a place that was this cold! The temperature is 7 degrees...that's our high for the day. But here's the ugly part...we have a -15 degree wind chill! The winds here are over 40mph! I'm also watching small bullets made of ice fly through the air at ridiculous speeds! We've had a major ice storm this past week, so all of our trees...and everything else...is ice-coated. But the winds here today are so strong that when the winds blow the trees, they break the ice off the trees and then the ice becomes miniture missiles! It's dangerous just trying to get from the house to the van...crazy!

Good thing I made a killer batch of chili last night...won't see me outside...

YES!!!

I only hoped it would happen...and now it's reality...Bring on May 1st, 2009...

Twitter Me...

For those of you who are 'twitter-fanatics', I now have joined your club! If you would like to follow me a little closer throughout the day, click on the Twitter Button below.

Forgotten Faith...

Well, I DID have faith in my president...Check This Out!

Is it me, or are we really seeing a rash of stupidity...