Think About It !.......

Be careful what you think, for thoughts become words.
Be careful what you say, for words become actions.
Be careful what you do, for actions become character.
Be careful of your character, for it is what you are.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer" Psalm 19:14

Post submitted by Lydia Reyes

The negative fast

For me the negative fast has been a little bit hard. It just makes you do a lot of thinking, about what you are going to say and if you should say it. On the other hand I can be easy, if you just tell the truth. We all think that if we want to be positive we have to lie, you don’t have to lie to be positive you just have to tell the truth in a more positive way. That will help you to know how to be more positive in your everyday life and help you learn to hold your tongue. Also through out this experience we have to build people up when there down. Now that’s the hard part for me. Living with three brothers you all ways get into these battles on “who’s better” or “who’s got the better comebacks” just to tell you the one who walks away and says nothing is the real winner. Right before you tare someone down you think that you going to be victorious and when you actually do you feel horrible. You feel bad for them and you try to make them feel better, but you really don’t know how much damage you have actually caused. I personally think that the negative fast can and will help me break old bad habits and build greater nicer habits.

~Lydia Reyes

What Will We Say??

7 DAY NEGATIVITY FAST. I CHALLENGE YOU!
Today in class we talked about the power of our words, and how effective words can be, both negatively and postitively.
Proverbs 18:21 says " Death and life are in the power of the tongue."
Words are a vehicle that express what we CHOOSE. Key word being 'choose'. The tongue has the ability to either uplift or destroy.
On the average, a person opens his or her mouth approximately 700 times a day to speak.
Thats a lot of chances to be destructive...or constructive!
"Let our words be acceptable in His sight..."
Thus began the 7 Day Challenge!! NO NEGATIVITY of any kind! For 7 whole entire days. That's 168 hours! or, 10,080 minutes! or, 604,800 seconds! That sounds like a loooooong time to be CHEERY!! But really, how often do we complain, put down, find fault...out of sheer habit? Its so much easier to see the bad than it is the good sometimes.
So I challenge you to spend 7 days refraining from any negative speaking. About ANYTHING! No griping, no complaining, no criticizing (yourself or others) We report back next Sunday to see how it went. Hopefully we will break some old habits....... Your parents are going to LOVE ME for this!!!
Its hard....I'm telling you! Ive already caught myself several times today...Seth and Lane think it means they cant get in trouble for 7 days....because I cant "gripe" at them!!! Ha! Ha!
7 days! WHAT WILL WE SAY???????????

Here's to a happier you,
Tasha Shoemake

Think BEFORE You Speak....

I just read a great quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, a former First Lady. " Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people." I am almost certain that none of us desires to be known as SHALLOW. Yet, many times we lower ourselves to that category without even thinking twice.
So how do we stop this problem? How do we stand up and lead others out of gossip and back to the truth?
The answer is easier said than done, we simply think BEFORE we speak.
You know that old saying..."sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me"...... I dont believe it !!!!
Have a good day,
Tasha Shoemake

Up and Running...for real this time!!!!

Its rather embarrassing....my first, and last, post was in July! Its October!!!! I had all these great ideas, and inspiration....then I just ???? I don't know..flaked?
The plan is: This Sunday I will enlist the involvement of the girls, and get this blog up and running! Various girls will be posting, as well as Leah West, our Youth Pastor's Wife and co-teacher of the Teen Girls Class. (room 10) Along with me.

Since I posted the first few pictures we have completely revamped our DECOR!!! And if I must say so myself......Its AWESOME!!! Its all zebra-y ( not a real word) with fabric on the walls, pink feather boas trimming the ceiling and FABULOUS black chandeliers!!! I think Leah and I truly outdid ourselves!! hahaha!! It was brilliant, creative inspiration and we take full credit for it! Along with the girls who helped us paint. Thank you to: Audrey, Luisa, and Aseri. I think its wonderful.....for a CLASSROOM? You'd have to agree, right?
See for yourself in the new pics I posted. We now have couches, chairs, a 'shabby chic' coffee table and trendy little floor cushions...our goal is a "lounge" type of feel, in the end having none of those ugly brown church chairs! They are totally cramping our style! You cannot have ugly-not cute things in your classroom! We even have a pink vacuum! Yes .....I know...........exquisite!!!

Our class has grown from 6 (our first Sunday 3 years ago) to an average of 29. We are so crowded we are now breaking into double sessions in November. Exciting? Yes...Overwhelming? Yes again!! Especially since the growth is almost entirely from our bus. The BLUE BOMBER!!!!
Our church girls are easily outnumbered, so its requiring a lot of adaptability of all of us! Its a great challenge to be faced with.
Bridging the gap in Room 10,
Tasha Shoemake