Saturday's Cookout

Derrick and I are excited to have folks over to our house on Saturday! I've put a list together of the food that we need for Saturday. I've tried to keep it VERY simple. Right now our count for folks attending is 26 adults and 30 kids, and everyone hasn't responded, yet. We are going to have a good time, but it's going to be hard to have a long sit down dinner - which is why I am suggesting chips, cookies, and other finger food type items.

Here's my menu list:

Gordys - hot dogs, buns, ketchup, mustard

We need:
Slaw for hot dogs - 1 family (just a hot dog topping for mostly adults)
Chili for hot dogs - 1 family (just a hot dog topping for mostly adults, canned is fine)
Chips of all kinds - 3 families with 4 bags each
Chips and salsa - 1 family with 4 bags of chips and salsa to go with it
Cookies/brownies - 4 families with 4 dozen cookies/brownies each (homemade is nice, but store bought is fine - we have a lot of kids and they'll be happy with oreos or whatever!)
Drinks - 2 families to bring four 2 liter drinks each, 3 families to bring a gallon of tea, 3 families to bring a gallon of lemonade or kool-aid
Ice - 4 big bags of ice
Plates - 60 dinner and 60 dessert plates
Napkins
Forks - Parkers

I'm certainly open to menu changes, and you are welcome to bring more than what's on the list. I was just trying to think of basics to get everyone fed.

If you haven't responded as to whether or not you are coming on Saturday, you can email Andrea or comment here.

If you are coming on Saturday, please comment here with what you want to bring. Please read the comments above yours to see what others plan to bring so you'll know what has been covered already.

I'll need to go shopping later this week and I'll want to cover anything that hasn't been covered. So if you don't comment here, I'll email or call you tomorrow!

Thanks! Please pray for good weather!

Prayer request

Ok, for most that know me, this is very hard for me to do, but I have a huge prayer request for my family. Let me start at the beginning. On Oct. 25, 2008, Hal took transferred to a new department within the Dept. of Defense. Unfortunately,he had to temporarily relocate to Boston, MA. At the time he left, we didn't know how long he would be gone. God miraculously stepped in, and he was able to relocate to Macon on Feb. 16, 2009. Sadly, that's where he has been ever since. He works four 10 hour shifts Mon-Thur, which allows him to be home every weekend. Needless to say, I live for Thursdays! The prayer request is for him to be transferred to a location within driving distance of home. We are a little encouraged, because there is some change coming in June, and his supervisor has told him that there would be 18 new openings within the Atlanta area. Please say a prayer that he may get one of these transfers. After 18 long months of separation, both of us are growing very weary. It is hard on him to be gone from his wife and daughters, and it is equally hard for us to have him gone. There are some days when I don't know how I am going to get through. I had one of those particularly bad days this past Thursday. The girls just could not get along with each other and it was getting the best of me. I know a lot of it has to do with Haleigh's ""terrible two's". To top it off, I found out about a ladies conference that was happening at FBC Woodstock that I really thought would do me some good, but it was sold out. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls dearly, but sometimes I need to be rejuvanated. So, if any of you ladies hear of a conference or retreat that might be of interest to me, then please let me know. I miss going to the Thursday morning Bible study on a regular basis, but that seems to always be the time that one or both of the girls are sick. I know it's an attack of the enemy.

Please understand that it is hard for me to ask for prayer. I want to pretend that everything is ok. Don't get me wrong, we are fine, but we just miss our hubby/daddy being at home like he should be. I really have such a deeper appreciation for women who truly are single moms. Lift them up in your prayers as well. It is not an easy job, but by God's grace, it can be done. It is the only way I have survived this long. Thank you so much for being such a supportive group of people. We love you and thank God for being a part of your lives.

Love,
Leigh Anne

Intercede...

Hey guys...

Let's remember Jamie and Jennifer Horton in these days. Jennifer is facing the next year without the promise of a job. This can be scary but certainly not bigger than God. Please pray for guidance, provision, and awesome things ahead for this family.

A

Back to life

Me, Shep, and the kids went to South Ga. for a few days over Spring Break. We had a blast! Now it is Monday and the "real world" is kicking my rear. I have piles of laundry and a house that needs some serious cleaning.

We missed church yesterday which is something we don't normally do. It was nice to be together but we missed all of you. Church is more than church to us....you are our extended family. I hope your Spring Breaks were a ton of fun or at least relaxing and restful.

Anyway, we look forward to seeing you next week as Shep continues with teaching on the "Forgotten God".

Please continue to pray for Beth and Michael Gill. They have posted about a situation that needs our prayers.

Also, Lauren and Kent Howard will be welcoming their baby boy to the world this Thursday (they will induce her) if she doesn't go into labor sooner. We are so excited for them! Please pray for smooth delivery and transition for their family. We will begin taking meals to them next week.
Kristen Bishop is heading that up and she will let us know what they need and when.....

I pray blessings over you all this week. I hope God has been speaking to you....and more than that...I hope you have been listening for Him!

Andrea

Gill Family Update

We have been so blessed with prayers and words of encouragement from all of you. Thank you SO MUCH!!


Currently, Michael's situation is still unresolved, but it has improved. We will know tomorrow afternoon, hopefully, what the final judgement will be. The State people did some investigating and determined that most of the claims were innaccurate and there was not enough for them to take action. So, they passed it down to Micheal's umpire association to deal with. We know that he will proably not get to officiate a championship game this year, but he has the opportunity to state his case as to why he should be allowed to officiate playoff games. The board members, ironically he is one, will meet tomorrow afternoon. Please pray that Michael will have the right words to speak and the other men will have ears that will listen with open hearts and minds.



On a slightly different note, through all of this I have been convicted to memorize more scripture. I thought you all would be a great source to find encouragement in the word. Let me know what your favorite verses or passages are. I hope to compile all your input for the class to share!!

In Christ,
Beth Gill