Happy Thanksgiving Friends

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into God's presence with singing! Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his;we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

We have so many things to be thankful for! Family, friends, health, video games...but most of all that there is a God that is with us through the highs and lows of life. He understands. He Cares. He Desires a relationship with us. God values us above the worlds greatest landmark...WOW!

Summer, Colin and I want to wish you and your family HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Pastor Joe

Inside My Weekend

Friday
No Workout // Feeling Sick
1/2 day at the office
Picked Colin up and went to lunch
Rested at the House
Went to Outback for Dinner
Went to Building 429 Concert with family and middle school students
home 2:00 am

Saturday
Slept in // 9:30
Still not feeling well
Mowed the Yard (hopefully the last time this year)
Went to a Wedding reception for Kaitlin Irons at 2:00
Meant High School students at Operation Hope to had out food (over 700 served)
Watched the Tennessee vs. Vandy game. A WIN for the vols :)
rest

Sunday
Up early 6:00 am
Prepped PPT for church service
Left for Church 8:30
Pre-Marriage session with family
Pastor Message James 5:1-6
Lunch at home
Rest
Set-up new desk in Summer's room
Watched football
In Bed Early

Pastor Joe

Building 429 Concert

Last night's concert with After Edmund, Addison Road and Building 429 was off the charts. We took a group of middle school students to outback for dinner (my favorite restaurant) then headed over to Vero High for the concert at 10pm. It was really cold outside...but inside the temperature was rising.

The show did not end until 12:30! One of the ministries they were supporting was world vision an organization that for $30 a month allows you to sponsor a child in a third world country. I had the opportunity to take my son "Colin" with me and when challenged to sponsor a child he raised his had. I saw his child like faith and told my wife we need to follow his lead "even though he is only 5". He heard the story of the hurt and pain and he said he wanted to help. So, we have a little girl from Mexico that we are now sponsoring.

The comment below is from Jason the lead vocals on how they named the band 429.

Jason: It's actually based on Ephesians 4:29 which says "Let nothing unwholesome come out of your mouth, except that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." And that seemed like a pretty good place to take a stand. We play quite a few secular venues, and we're Christian guys and we want to wear our faith on our sleeve, but we don't want to slap somebody on the head with our Bible. So this seemed like the perfect way to do that, because the more people ask us what our name means, the more we have a chance to talk about what we believe.

I had seen Building 429 in concert in several different venues in years past...but last night placed them in my top 10 all time shows. The lights, music, and show was awesome.

On another note there was these two guys to the left of us and two rows down that decided that they were going to put on their own show for the audience. These two guys had no clue that they were even at a Christian concert...CLUELESS. These young man started dancing "Micheal Jackson" style and did not stop until the show ended. It made for a good laugh.

Thank you middle school for an awesome evening!

Pastor Joe

Teens turned aliens: How to communicate with kids in tough years

Parenting teens is a tough, stressful job these days, but the payoff can be huge with a reserve of patience and the drive to ask for help when needed.

Here are some strategies:

Declaration of independence

Adolescence is about struggle - for identity, independence - but the grab for power often competes with the intense need for reassurance at home and conformity among peers.

Teens may fight the leash while also taking comfort in it. Robin Goodman, a child psychologist and art therapist in New York City, suggests parents lengthen the tether, stay involved and step in sooner rather than later when newfound freedoms are abused. Remember, she said, defiance is a tool used by teens. It's nothing personal.

In the heat of the moment

Dr. Mark Goulston, a Los Angeles psychiatrist who once trained FBI hostage negotiators, said parents must leave behind their fear, denial and "don't ask, don't tell" avoidance of confrontation and trust their guts in recognizing potentially violent behavior.

To help rather than hinder, try calming down an upset adolescent in a heated moment by repeating what he says in a slow, measured tone. Hopefully, he'll begin to listen at the speed you're talking and feel validated, not violated.

Help! My teen is an alien!

Sarah Newton, author of the book "Help! My Teenager is an Alien," said parents must learn to translate the intergalactic language of their kids to help make things run smoothly. Some parents are fond of the opening lines: "I know how you feel" or "In my day."

But you don't know what it's like to be a teen today, so stop what you're doing, look them in the eyes and zip your lips. Try to see a situation from their point of view, not through your own filters. Make it clear you want to understand and need their help.

Be a parent, not a pal

Parenting is not a popularity contest. Don't be afraid for your child not to like you for a time over words spoken or rules imposed.

Mix criticism with praise. Be respectful, not insulting, and don't dismiss your teens' feelings or opinions as silly or senseless, said Rick Edwards, inpatient program director at the nonprofit Southwest Mental Health Center, a children's psychiatric hospital in San Antonio.

Let go of guilt

Dr. Jason Stein, a family therapist in Los Angeles, said parents of out-of-control teens are often vilified, leading to unnecessary guilt.

"As a parent you're not allowed to show your humanity and struggle. You're not allowed to say, 'I hate my kid.' We've stigmatized these kinds of parents," he said. "We need to acknowledge the struggle. You basically buck up and do the best you can."

By Leann Italie - Associated Press Writer