Save our libraries

I was shocked to discover Monday that Gov Strickland wants to slash the library budget in half on June 30th. This effectively closes many of the smaller libraries and will change all libraries in Ohio as we know them. Many of you know that I work at a library in a small community and have discovered since I started work there that libraries are a lifeline for many families. Government agencies regularly refer people to their local library for help in submitting a job application on line. I can't tell you how many times a day someone comes and asks for help from a librarian because for the first time in their life they have to put together a resume on line and then e mail it to a company because they have lost their job. It is heartbreaking to see men and women who already have had to navigate the unemployment agencies for the first time and now have to ask for help yet again just to apply for a job. Where will they go when the library is shut down or no longer has the staff to help?

Libraries are busier now than they have ever been. More Americans have library cards now than ever before. It is the only free unbiased source of information available to many Ohioans. How short sighted it is to even think about taking that away.

Please call Gov Strickland and visit the website www.saveohiolibraries.org. Our dear governor's phone number is (614) 466-3555. Call him and keep calling him. He has received thousands of calls but we must be relentless.

It's not March anymore

It's not March anymore and this is my first posting since then. Oops. So what's new? Well we have two kids who finished their time at the schools they were at. Zach finished preschool and Jess finished elementary school. Emma graduates to the back of the bus (also a big deal). Winnie won a 2nd place ribbon for saddest dog at a pet show. I can't imagine who won first place. Having waited for an hour and a half with three kids and a dog amongst many other kids and dogs I missed the actual prize giving because zach had to go to the loo.
So here is summer.
We had a bunny in church this morning!
That's all I have for now.
This one's for you Kimmy :-)

Where have I been?

Have I really not blogged since February? Pathetic. Very sorry. I have read "The Shack". That isn't all I've done but I did read a book. That counts for something. So let's get together and talk about it. I can't wait to discuss it because it seems that our reading audience are divided in their opinion of it. I loved it and enjoyed reading it in public places because it's one of those books everyone has an opinion about and wanted to share with me. So if you haven't finished it yet - hurry up.

Love Dare

Dave and I are taking the love dare challenge over the next 40 days. We're really having fun with it. I think we have a wonderful marriage and we want it to stay that way so it's good to be really methodical about how we treat one another for a while. It's nice to put chunks of scripture to things that we already know are right about our relationship and to see where we can try harder and really understand why - lead our heart and not the other way around.
I love my husband!

Prayer

I feel as though God has opened a window for me to learn stuff so I'm trying to spend as much time with Him and in reading as I can. I hope I'm getting what he wants to give me! Dave and I are re reading Richard Foster's book on prayer. It is the best book. I think we so often waste time giving ourselves a guilt trip about how bad our prayer life is when we could be and maybe are communicating with God the whole time. I'm looking forward to enjoying prayer a lot more these days.

Crazy Love

I heard about a new book today it's by a guy called Francis Chan and it's called "Crazy Love". It talks about what our lives look like when we have 'crazy love' for Jesus. It really fits in with Dave's sermon series at the moment. On the face of it the series is about finances and how or why we decide where our money will go and what that really means. But it's more about how much we love Jesus. Finances are only important in the discussion because of what they indicate about our life with Jesus. Chan talks about how when we fall in love or become obsessed with another human we would gladly give up a lot just to spend time with that person. We will give anything to them. Dave talks a lot about generosity. This is why - it's crazy love and there really is nothing like it. Check out the book when you get the chance.

Gate staff

I'm so excited because this Wednesday morning The Gate will have the regular staff meeting - only this week it will be Dave, Kim and Ry our new Youth Pastor. I have decided to really pray for this time. Dave and I believe that Kim and Ry were delivered to our doorstep by God himself! It is a huge responsibility to be in those positions. Please pray for them - we need them to stay focused on God and be healthy in their living and in good relationships with the people around them. I know they'll have fun Wednesday and lots of great ideas for our still new church.