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DECEMBER 2014
GIFTS FROM THE KITCHEN
DO W N LO A L I FO KE D LL US OU O R W AP US P
Hand-Picked for the Holidays Dealing with Grief at Christmas
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contents DECEMBER 2014 Join our Mississippi Mobile Club Today! Text MCLAPP to 95577 and download our Mobile App for free! Text stop 2 quit. Standard data rates apply.
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Volume 9, Number 6 Publisher: MHS Publications, Inc., Member, M.I.P.A. Editor: Marilyn Tinnin marilyn@mschristianliving.com
columns 8 The Way I See It Intention
11 Modern Motherhood Our New Tradition: Serving Others
12 Let’s Talk It Over STEGALL IMAGERY
Dealing with Grief at Christmas
14 Living My Call Mrs. Lucille Nichols— “Home Maker” for Many
19 The Doctor Is In Everything in Moderation— Including Moderation
features
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20 Salt & Light
Mike Campbell and Redeemer Church
Pur[SHOE]ing Joy
22 Outside In
Gospel-Centered and Gospel-Driven
Bass Fishin’
36 Food for Thought Gifts from the Kitchen
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40 Pastor’s Perspective What I’m NOT Doing This Christmas
42 Fresh Finds Hand-Picked for the Holidays
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44 Legal Advice Death in the Age of Facebook
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in every issue 6 46 48 50 50
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Editor’s Letter Rave Reviews Events Calendar Quips & Quotes Advertiser Index
What’s Coming Next Month? Speaker, Author, Comedian, and Morning Talk Show Host J.J. Jasper Shares the Story of the Devastating Loss of His Four-Year-Old Son and God’s Sufficient Grace
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CONNECT WITH US: twitter.com/MSChristLiving
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Associate Editor: Suzanne Durfey Art Direction/Graphic Design Sandra K. Goff Sales Marilyn Tinnin, Kimberly Stephens, Suzanne Durfey, Tara Dowden, Jenny Ruth Kennedy, Kimberly Hooker Contributing Writers Venkat Baskararajan, M.D., Lydia Bolen, Shawn Dean, Nancy Flowers, Robert Green, Maggie Ingram, Will McNeese, Tyler Raborn, Susan E. Richardson, Martin E. Willoughby, Jr., Elizabeth Wynn Cover Photography Stegall Imagery Distribution Assistants Avery Cahee, Laura Kidder, Randy Fortenberry, Andrea Sabillion, Rachel Schulte, Jerri Strickland, Priscilla Sullivan, Bob Whatley, Amanda Weems
Mississippi Christian Living 573 Highway 51 North, Suite C Ridgeland, MS 39157 Phone 601-790-9076 • Fax 601-790-9078 www.mschristianliving.com
Mississippi Christian Living is committed to encouraging individuals in their daily lives by presenting the faith stories of others and by providing information that will point every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper, authentic, personal, and lifechanging encounter with Jesus Christ. Views expressed in Mississippi Christian Living do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Mississippi Christian Living staff to insure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2014 by Mississippi Christian Living, Inc. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Mississippi Christian Living is published monthly and is available at high traffic locations throughout the metropolitan area. Copies are also available by subscription, $29 for one year. Single issues available for $3 an issue. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Mississippi Christian Living, 573 Highway 51 North, Suite C, Ridgeland, MS 39157. M I P A Mississippi Independent Publishers' Alliance
4 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
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➺editor’s letter Christmas Changes Everything …Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth – From “O Holy Night” ight has always made me happy. My family and close friends know well that I love my lamps on a rainy day, and the first thing I do every morning is open the blinds, the shutters, and the drapes to let the light in. Darkness feels strange and heavy and unnatural to me. It is usually Charles’ last duty of the
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Dutch, Marilyn and Thurber
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The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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– JOHN 1:5
6 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
night to put our Corgis, “Dutch” and “Thurber,” to bed before he tucks himself in. He often says good-naturedly, “I would have been here sooner, but I had to turn off all 40 of your lamps.” I am also a homebody and prefer home to any place on earth. I used to tell people that I started this magazine in order to stay home, wear my pajamas, and talk to the dog all day. That was only a slight exaggeration. The thought occurs to me that it is my soul, the part of me that bears the imprint of our Heavenly Father, which is inexplicably drawn to the light and to home. And just maybe I am drawn to those two things because they offer a faint reminder that my true and eternal home is in a place of indescribable light, beauty, and happiness. The best is indeed to come. I do not remember in my lifetime ever being more aware of the darkness of the fallen world than right now in 2014. It seems up is down, light is dark, wrong is right, and foolishness is called wisdom by many who have a microphone! But Christmas, unchanging and unapologetic, arrives reminding us that the darkness is all smoke and mirrors. It will never eclipse the true Light of the World. And so we Believers can sing our carols, celebrate the Savior, and wish each other “Merry Christmas.” No circumstance on earth can erase or destroy the Truth that is Christ, or our inheritance as His children. I am quite a die-hard traditionalist who never gets enough of the old familiar carols and hymns. “Jingle Bell Rock” has just never quite done it for me. Give me “Away in a Manger,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” or “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” “O Holy Night” is my favorite of all. We don’t use quaint old words like “pining” anymore, but maybe we should. “Sin” and “pining”—together they capture the human experience of brokenness and our hearts’ restless longing the world never has and never will quite satisfy. Christmas offers the clear message that pierces all the darkness and gives us reason to sing. “He appeared…and the soul felt its worth…” Stunning. It is our hope that this December issue will stir your soul to embrace the Savior and to go much deeper than the shopping, the parties, and the artificial version of the modern “holiday season.” It takes some intentional thought and planning on your part, but you will find a heaping helping of ideas in these pages. 2014 has been a year of loss for many. It is hard to get past the “first” Christmas, the “first” birthday, the “first” of all the “firsts” when you’ve lost someone you love, or lost something else that rocked your world. Although this fleeting earthly life holds lots of joy and laughter, it can dole out a whopping dose of pain at times. And for that reason, Jesus reminds us in the middle of the Christmas message that it is because of this world’s brokenness He came. Joy to the World. Celebrate Jesus this year. Merry Christmas. Y
Marilyn H. Tinnin, Publisher and Editor marilyn@MSChristianliving.com
O!HowCute
➺the way i see it by MARTIN E. WILLOUGHBY, JR.
in·ten·tion
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noun \in-ten(t)-shen\ A course of action that one intends to follow had the pleasure of serving for a season on a local Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Board.
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During that period, I had the opportunity to get to know Bill Buckner who was the Mississippi FCA state director for 27 years before succumbing to leukemia after a lengthy battle. When I met Bill, he had been battling his illness for some time, yet he always had a smile on his face and a good word to share. He exemplified to me what a life of faith looks like. He was always more concerned about asking about and praying for the challenges in my life than his. He was focused on sharing the gospel and mentoring people in their faith. To me, Bill lived an intentional life. He knew his priorities and did not let the distractions of the world, or even his own health challenges, take him off course. It is easy to live an unconscious life. I don’t mean literally unconscious, but a life without real thought and intention. I feel like that life can be like a current that sweeps us along. If we are not careful, we are living someone else’s idea for our life instead of God’s plan. To me, this is particularly true in our American culture. Our fast-paced and consumptive society does not allow much time for reflection and recalibration. It is almost humorous to think how impatient we have become. I feel so foolish when I find myself getting angry because the movie I am trying to download onto my mobile device is not immediately streaming. It is easy to forget that as a kid I actually had to get in a car and go to a theater to watch a movie. As an antidote, I have noted in the media the increased focus on meditation and mindfulness. However, all I have to do is open my Bible and look at the life of Jesus to see what a life of intention looks like. He knew his purpose, did not rush his life, and led an incredibly intentional life which led to the cross. Almost eight years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Marilyn Tinnin, the publisher of this magazine. I was inspired by her vision and passion for her business. She was new to the business world but trusted in God to lead her in the right direction. I have seen many magazines come and go, but hers has not only survived—it has thrived. She was kind enough to let me
write an article or two, and I have been writing for her ever since. It has been a humbling and moving experience as I try to encourage others on their journey of faith through the written word. At the encouragement of many friends and acquaintances, I decided to gather my thoughts into book form to further share what I have learned from others in the journey of faith. Thanks to an incredible support team including, first and foremost, my wife, Nicki, and kids, Ally and Trey, I am proud to have completed that project which will launch this month as the book Intentional Faith. This
It is easy to live an unconscious life. I don’t mean literally unconscious, but a life without real thought and intention. I feel like that life can be like a current that sweeps us along. If we are not careful, we are living someone else’s idea for our life instead of God’s plan. To me, this is particularly true in our American culture.
book is an opportunity for me to “pay it forward” in a small way. This book is all about making conscious decisions to live a life of faith. This applies to work, family and leisure activities like sports. My prayer is that God uses this book to give back to those who make a difference. I am donating all of my proceeds from this book to faith-based charities. As a tribute to Bill Buckner, I am donating all of my proceeds from the book signing on December 6, 2014, at Lifeway in Jackson to FCA Mississippi. I truly appreciate the opportunity to share each month with you, and I pray that this will be a special Christmas season for you and your family.
Y Martin E. Willoughby, Jr,. is Chief Operating Officer of Butler Snow Advisory Services, LLC located in Ridgeland. He and his wife, Nicki, have two children, Ally and Trey, and live in Memphis, Tennessee.
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modern motherhood by MAGGIE INGRAM
Our New Tradition: Serving Others ur Christmas list looks very different for 2014. This year, we hope to start new traditions.
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Through my mother-in-law encouraging us to focus on serving and borrowing an idea of a dear friend, God is changing the meaning of Christ’s coming for my family. For the last two years, I’ve watched this friend compile a list of everyday people like coaches, teachers, trash collectors, sick friends, family members, doctors, neighbors, and the list goes on. Her concept is simple: choose a person from the list each day and find a way to serve them. Throughout December, she and her two sons bake cookies, write letters of encouragement, sing carols, and rake the yards of widows, single moms, and shut-ins. They read books to their friends undergoing
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chemotherapy and pack bags for the homeless. They take food to hungry firemen at the station and pass out piping hot chocolate to cold construction workers. She has also worked endlessly finding Scriptures that coordinate with each person or the job they do so that her boys can associate the Word of God with their acts of kindness. She is changing her boys’ focus, but God is changing their hearts. Her sons have gone from wondering what will be under the tree to looking for ways to serve. It has been both humbling and motivating! Mark 20:28 says the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. What if we all did that? What if all of our Christmas lists included people in need? Christ’s list included people who needed the curse of sin to be broken. But our list can include people who just need a warm meal or help with yard work or a letter to know they are in our prayers. I know these things are an encouragement because I’ve been on other people’s lists before. Every year, my mother-in-law gives us a container of her special Russian tea mix because she knows it’s my husband’s favorite. She’s given me the recipe, but the anticipation of getting the festive container of spicy powder every year makes the holiday season official for us. When she encouraged me to turn the focus around this Christmas, it was simple acts of kindness like passing out her tea mix that I had in mind, so I’m passing the recipe on to y’all now. I hope my kids remember this year as one that brought fresh traditions and fresh meaning to what Christ did for us by coming to earth. I hope it’s a year that my family can first look beyond our selves instead of heading straight for the trinkets in our stockings. I pray it’s one where we begin to skim the depths of God’s gift to us in Christ, our Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace. Y
Maggie Ingram lives in Madison with her husband and three children. She is a homemaker and loves a good book. Feel free to contact her at maggiepingram@yahoo.com. mschristianliving.com ❘ DECEMBER 2014 11
➺let’s talk it over by WILL MCNEESE, LPC, LMFTA
Dealing with Grief at Christmas ou may be experiencing the heavy burden of grief during the holidays.You are not alone. Grief is not an emotion, but a journey that contains many different emotions at different points along the way. We
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grieve when we experience loss. Grief is the process of remembering the loss of something that was important to us. A loss that results in grief is not always a person, but can be the loss or change of a relationship, job, pet, tradition, dream, or anything else. For Rachel, the holidays were spent alone with painful memories. Her parents both died from cancer while she was in college. The memories of her family’s last Christmas together seemed to be one of the only reminders of who she once was. Her marriage ended when her second child was two years old. Her ex-husband, a lawyer, was able to use his many connections and power to win custody and dictate harsh visitation rights. Rachel spent most holidays without her children, without her family, and without much hope, joy, or peace. George tries to keep up the “holiday spirit” when his children and grandchildren are in town. However, since his wife passed away two years ago, his external cheerfulness masks an internal hollowness. George knows his happiness is forced—his children know it too. He tells himself to be cheerful for the grandchildren, but if he could have it his way, he would be back at work instead of sitting at the house pretending to be happy. As Matthew reflected on his childhood experience of Christmas holidays, one word
came to mind—Insane. To start, there was always a bitter battle between his divorced parents about who Matthew and his brothers would spend time with for the different parts of the holiday. One parent would have them for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, and the other would get them for Christmas Dinner and New Year’s or visa versa. Matthew’s parents would bicker for hours trying to “settle the score” on what percentage of the visitation rights had been fulfilled, violated, or negotiated over the previous year. The result was usually some awkward splitting up of the holidays that left everyone involved exhausted, on edge, and dissatisfied. As Matthew became an adult, he found himself
dreading the advent of Christmas. He even thought, “I would have a much better relationship with my family if we cancelled Christmas altogether.” When we build a loving and bonded relationship with someone, our memories and idea of that person form an imprint on our brains and hearts, which endures even when that person is not around us. Grief is the process of our memory and imprint of that person slowly adjusting to the reality that they are not with us as they once were. Circumstances that remind us of our loved one then trigger an awareness of their absence. The awareness of this absence can then trigger a myriad of emotions ranging from sadness to fear to anger to guilt. Nothing can be said to “fix” grief, for it is not a problem that can be solved by a solution, action, or answer. Grief is a path that must be walked. For those who have lost loved ones or are away from their loved ones, holidays can be much harder than normal days for many reasons. For one thing, many people are off work or out of school. This break in routine can allow time for the mind to wander and remember. The Christmas season can also hold years of joyful, comforting, and happy memories of loved ones. Experiencing the same holiday, but with the absence of the loved one, can be like experiencing the loss all over again. Grieving happens individually and relationally. In other words, healthy grieving involves times of solitude and times of sharing your grief with supportive people. Depending
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on your personality, you may gravitate towards one or the other. It is important to do both. With that in mind, here are some things that many people find helpful in their journey of grief—particularly during the holidays. When possible, allow yourself to grieve. Taking time to grieve is not a sign of weakness, selfishness, or a lack of trust. We were created to love people and are therefore created to grieve their loss. The process of grief works better when we address our need to do so with intention. Some people are afraid that if they start grieving, they will not be able to stop. Most people find that allowing their selves to grieve leads to a greater sense of peace, strength, and acceptance. Responding to our grief’s emotion with compassion, patience, respect, understanding, and tending to needs seems to resemble the way Christ responds to the broken hearted. In my life, I am not always able to respond to my own grief’s emotions in this way. This brings me to my second point: Don’t walk this path alone. We are made for relationships because we are not complete and whole on our own. When you are ready, invite another person to walk this path with you. This can be done by spending time with someone who knows you, talking about what memories are on your mind, doing things to commemorate your loss, or visiting a certain place.
Sometimes our immediate social group (family, friends, or church) may be unable to offer much support due to their own grief or a lack of understanding or training. In these times, it may be helpful to consider joining a support group or seeing a counselor.
Grieving happens individually and relationally. In other words, healthy grieving involves times of solitude and times of sharing your grief with supportive people. Depending on your personality, you may gravitate toward one or the other. It is important to do both. Grieve through actions that have meaning to you. Every person will find different actions meaningful in their grief. Actions such as visiting gravesites, looking at photographs of loved ones, crying, journaling, talking to friends, writing songs, poems, or stories, or finishing projects that the loved one started, are all richly symbolic actions that can help express grief. Find out what events or
actions have meaning to you and your grief. The bible is full of God telling people to make memorials and perform sacraments for the purpose of remembering. The last thing I would offer is to place yourself in setting in which you commune with God. God gives us many ways to commune with Him. One pertinent manner is lamenting—pouring out our grief and emoting our sadness, anger, pain, and lack of joy. Pour out your heart knowing that there is One who knows and understands, he is acquainted with grief—not just grief in general, but your grief. He came to bring an end to death and to bring reconciliation to those things that seem irreconcilable—the living and the dead, father and son, husband and wife, God and Mankind. In this weary world of sin, death, and loss, I long for His return. I long for the day when all things will be made right. I leave with the words of this hymn: “Come thou long expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free, From our fears and sin release us, Let us find our rest in thee!” Y Will McNeese, LPC, LMFTA, is a counselor at Summit Counseling with experience working with families and individuals, including children and adolescents. He can be reached at wmcneese@fbcj.org.
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➺living my call by MARILYN TINNIN
Mrs. Lucille Nichols—“Home Maker” for Many ight off Old Canton Road near the Madison County airport, just beyond an iron fence, in the middle of meticulous grounds and big shady oak trees is The Home Place. The wide porch sports a row of heavy rocking chairs—a lot of them! The first impression is one of welcome. Well named, there is nothing that feels institutional here. It does feel like home, and it has been just that for a few thousand elderly residents since its beginnings 100 years ago. Retirement communities have sprung up all across the state in recent years, but The Home Place is unique in several ways, the first being that it is totally independent and has existed all these years through private donations. Mrs. Lucille Nichols, who has been Director since 1968, is a little bit like a doting mother and a little bit like an enthusiastic evangelist when she talks about her deep affection for The Home Place’s residents, employees, and the relationship they all enjoy with this special place. It is true that economic security has always been a struggle for millions of older adults. People are living longer. It is more and more common for seniors to outlive their resources. Increased costs of living, along with other life challenges that come with loss of a steady income, have put many seniors at or near poverty level. The Home Place was founded in 1904 as the Willard F. Bond Home, a refuge for elderly men who found themselves in need of assistance. When Jackson’s historic Old Ladies’ Home on West Capitol closed in 1987, the residents there moved to the Bond Home and the now male and female facility became
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The Home Place is also home to a staff who, like Lucille Nichols, take seriously their devotion to the residents.
The Home Place. Residents are charged on a sliding scale based on their ability to pay and the level of care needed. The Home Place is most definitely not a nursing home. Of the present 102 residents, the average age is 87, but most are quite independent. Some others in the personal care category simply need “a little help,” as Mrs. Nichols says. She says, “It’s amazing what good nutrition and a little attention can do for the elderly!” She is an expert in both as she has secured a corps of willing volunteers who provide regular activities from Bingo and birthday parties, to exercise and frequent musical entertainment, and pet therapy to choir practice. There is a special singing group of very spry residents who take their show on the road to other senior-citizen facilities around the area. Mrs. Nichols and her late husband were originally hired to oversee the home in 1968. She intended that this would be a short, threemonth stop on the way to something else, but
she just fell in love with the job and the joy of making a difference in the lives of others. She wakes up as excited to go to work in 2014 as she did 46 years ago. In recent years, many of The Home Place’s philanthropic friends have passed away. The Annual Fund Drive in December used to generate contributions and memorials that greatly helped meet operating expenses. The changing culture, soaring costs of living, and the economic woes of families with less discretionary income have meant fewer donations. As Mayor Mary Hawkins, one of The Home Place’s board members, said, “Sometimes it is a little hard to raise money for the elderly.” It is sad that we don’t revere our elderly in the same way previous generations did. As a big fan of Lucille Nichols, she adds, “Times are hard, but Mrs. Nichols doesn’t compromise the care her residents receive. Nobody has ever been turned away despite limited means. It is amazing to see how she works with what she has to make sure every resident is protected and well cared for. I think she is the most selfless person I know.” The Home Place is always looking for volunteers, for friends who want to stop by to share a talent, bring a musical program, or just play hymns for a sing along. To find out more about this very special place, contact Lucille Nichols at 601.856.8041. The address is 7521 Old Canton Road, Madison, MS, 39110. All contributions are fully tax-deductible and gratefully acknowledged. Y
There’s No Place Like The Home Place…
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here each resident is made to feel needed and wanted by a caring staff and administration, it is an endearing community reflecting family, home, friends, and happiness shared. The Home Place operates as a non-profit organization and embraces the lives of older adults by providing a retirement community with resources full of possibilities for a well-rounded life.
THE HOME PLACE 7521 Old Canton Road • Madison, Mississippi 39110 • 601.856.8041 or 601.856.6886 • bondhome@bellsouth.net 14 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
An ER designed with seniors in mind. Now at two area hospitals. Going to the emergency room is a stressful experience at any age, but particularly for seniors. That’s why Central Mississippi Medical Center and Crossgates River Oaks Hospital have introduced an environment just for patients 65 and older. Senior Track ER features: • Designated parking • Nurses specifically trained in geriatric emergency care* • Patient rooms with softer beds and easy-to-operate call buttons • Separate waiting areas, and wheelchairs for easy transportation • Nutrition, physical therapy and medication screening To learn more, visit CentralMississippiMedicalCenter.com or CrossgatesRiverOaks.com.
601-825-2811 If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. * CMMC: Geriatric Emergency Nursing Education * Crossgates: Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders program offered by the New York University College of Nursing
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18 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
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the doctor is in
by VENKAT BASKARARAJAN, M.D.
Everything in Moderation— Including Moderation of First Baptist Church Jackson
he saying,“Everything in moderation, including moderation� in a way refers to the human need for indulgence and excess from time to time. All of us can remember eating a little
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more during Thanksgiving, celebrating a little late, or just waiting up for Santa past our bedtime. All of these little things make the holiday season more memorable. When the excess and indulgence lasts more than a few days in a row, this can stress out our body. Our body and mind are not independent of each other, so any stress on the body reflects on how we feel or think. Watch out for stressors and keep some balance. Some common stressors during the holidays and how to deal with them include:
Eating Too Much or Too Little Thanksgiving wouldn’t feel complete if you didn’t stuff yourself, but on most other days it’s important to eat right. Just don’t keep treating yourself to the candy bowl or cookie jar that’s laid out for guests every time you cross the living room.
Remember that the holidays are a time for compassion and giving. If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. For a lot of people it’s important to look their best during the holidays. They want to shed a few pounds before the family photograph is taken. Starving yourself or skipping meals for days or weeks together can add up to a lot of stress. This sometimes may even backfire and lead to emotional eating. Healthy foods and eating at proper times can give you the body that you need. Eating unhealthily for days at a time has been shown to make people lethargic, down or irritable. So make sure to eat healthy.
Sleeping Too Little or Too Much It is very easy to get thrown off your schedule during the holiday season.You may
end up sleeping too little as you may be doing some extra cooking and cleaning. Or you may end up sleeping more, because you don’t have to go to work. On an average we need 7-8 hours of sleep, but it varies from person to person. Variation in sleep for more than a few days is a huge stress and can lead to mood swings, irritability, anxiety or depression. Not to mention the worsening of blood pressure or blood sugar if you have hypertension or diabetes. So try to get a good night’s rest at least five nights a week.
Having Unrealistic Expectations One the biggest causes of mental stress and anxiety is the need for everything to be perfect during the holidays. Wanting to find the perfect gifts or trying to have the home decorated perfectly can cause a lot of worry— but to some extent are in your control. Wanting the flights to be on time, wanting the traffic not to be horrible, wanting friends and family to be on time for the party, and expecting everyone to behave perfectly are things beyond your control. Remember that the holidays are a time for compassion and giving. If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. So don't beat yourself up for not having everything perfect or get angry if things did not go as planned. Taking some deep breaths for one minute a few times a day can do wonders in alleviating your anxiety. Meditation can also help relieve stress and anxiety. So have some fun this holiday season, but try to also have some balance in taking care of your mind, body, and spirit so you can enjoy the holidays to their fullest. Please visit www.pinegrovetreatment.com or call 1-888-574-HOPE (4673) for more information about Pine Grove Behavioral Health & Addiction Services. Y
Dr. Baskararajan graduated from Adichunchanagiri in India. He completed his residency at UMC in Jackson, Ms where he represented the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at the resident symposium at Emory University and served as an active member or the residency administrative committee. Dr. Baskararajan has been a staff member at Pine Grove since 2009.
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➺salt & light by TYLER RABORN
Pur[SHOE]ing Joy “I
t all started with a 17-year-old boy in hot pink Nikes.” Shelby Ausband was
on a mission trip to Guatemala when God began to lay out his plan for Pur[SHOE]ing Joy. One day when she had some free time during the trip, Shelby spent time getting to know a local family. A family who had nothing. Heartbroken for this family, she began to exclaim to the mother what she was going to do for them, but was only met with humble refusals. “I’m going to build y’all a house!” exclaimed Shelby. “You can’t. We don’t own the land,” said the mother. “Well then, I’ll just give you money,” replied Shelby. “We can’t accept that. Besides, we’ll just use it for food, and it’ll be gone in a month,” answered the mother. Shelby wanted to make a lasting impact on this family, but wasn’t sure how she was going to. As she continued to visit with the family, she learned of a cyclical process in regard to Guatemalan On Pur[shoe]ing Joy’s socio-economics. Children who first delivery trip to don’t own a pair of shoes can’t go to Guatemala, they were school. In turn, they don’t get the delivering shoes to a education needed which leads to local Sunday School jobs that can adequately support class. Kids from the their families. That night, when Shelby returned class had gathered to where she was staying, she got around to receive their her pair of hot pink Nikes from her very own pair of shoes. suitcase. And the next day, she returned to the home of the family and offered them to their 17-yearold son. In the later months, that boy would get a job and support the
20 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
family. Shelby had impacted one life, but there were so many more left untouched that she couldn’t help but get discouraged. "Shelby called her close friend Ty New, who was also living in Guatemala at the time, and the two went to grab a burger and discuss her idea for a nonprofit that she wanted to start with the mission of delivering shoes to Guatemalans. Ty told Shelby, “I do not think you realize just how BIG the Lord is going to make this, and I want to be a part of it." At that moment, Ty began encouraging Shelby and then throwing out HUGE ideas. The two became a team with “One Sole Purpose” and the roller coaster hasn’t stopped. Shelby says, “The Lord has been so faithful in providing strengths through Ty where I am weak and I am pretty sure I would have given up if it weren’t for Ty!” Shelby explained, “I know that I’ll never get a pair of shoes to every child in Guatemala, but I can try.” She went on to say that discouragement often leads to people doing nothing, rather than simply offering what they can, no matter how little it may be. She said, “Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, or do for none what you wish you could do for everyone.” Shelby and Ty chose the former.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required,” Luke 12:48. On Pur[SHOE]ing Joy’s first delivery trip to Guatemala, they were delivering shoes to a local Sunday school class. Kids from the class had gathered around to receive their very own pair of shoes, when one boy appeared that no one knew. He was not a member of the Sunday school class, and he did not know the Lord. “We’ll give you a pair of shoes if you promise to come to Sunday school next week, deal?” “Deal!” the young boy agreed. Pur[SHOE]ing Joy had planted the seed. The following week, he did show up for Sunday school. And the church watered that seed. And later that year, the boy was saved. God had harvested what Pur[SHOE]ing Joy had planted, and the church had nurtured. Shelby said, “Last time I spoke with someone from that church, he had brought 16 additional people to church that have subsequently been saved.” God has already immensely blessed the Pur[SHOE]ing Joy mission in a number of ways. The 501(c)(3) already has seven sponsors (Ole Miss Orientation, Run Fit Sports, Ole Miss SAAC,
Champs Life Skills/Rebel Ready, Puddleduck Paper Co., Servpro of Norcross, and First Baptist McDonough), and due to local shoe drives and Sole Trains, they currently have in the neighborhood of 8,000 pairs of shoes ready to go to Guatemala. Ty and Shelby view Pur[SHOE]ing Joy as a lifelong mission, yet neither draws a salary from the nonprofit, with 100 percent of donations going to operational expenses. They both work in the United States, and view the opportunity to serve God through this mission by spreading his grace to the Guatemalan people as a privilege. “We just feel blessed that he chose us.” To find out more about pur[SHOE]ing joy, visit purshoeingjoy.org or email Ty and Shelby at info@purshoeingjoy.org. If you’d like to make a donation, visit purshoeingjoy.org/donate. Y
Tyler Raborn is a digital marketing consultant for Raborn Media, LLC. He and his wife, Amanda, have one daughter, Ann Brees, and they live in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
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➺outside in by SHAWN DEAN
BASS FISHIN’ friend of mine was at Dick’s Sporting Goods the other day looking for some fishing gear. A man he didn’t know approached him and asked him if he was a bass fisherman. Yes was the answer, so the conversation led to rods and
A
reels. The stranger wanted advice on what to buy. What he didn’t know was that my friend was a researcher and one of those guys that’s going to find out what’s best. If he’s into something, what’s best is what he’s going to have. He gave him a few different options and discussed the specifics of an assortment of hardware, but ended the conversation with this. I’ll paraphrase. “You can spend the money and get the best, but,” he said, “the bass don’t care what kind of rod and reel you have. Find out where they are and find out how to catch them. If you know that, you can catch fish with this twenty dollar rig.” To catch fish, you have to know how to find them and how to get them in the boat. Everybody agrees on that. But from there, things get complicated and philosophies go different directions. A myriad of questions need answering like: water temperature; weather conditions; water depth; type of structure; water clarity; are fish feeding or inactive; what are they feeding on; what are their habits; forage size; oxygen levels; current direction; what bait to use; where to throw; how to throw; how to work your bait; how to set the hook; how long to stay—and on and on it goes. The best bass fishermen consistently catch fish. They learned how. They know how. But how? How did they learn? From whom or what did they learn? If a man wants to be the best at something, he needs to go find out who the best is and learn from him. So, when Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” they did. For three years, the apostles walked side by side with the master fisherman, literally and figuratively. For, in John 21:6, He taught them saying, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” And, then again in Mathew 17:27, He summons a fish, “However, so that we do not offend them, go to the sea and throw in a hook, and take the first
fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for you and me.” Our teacher fished so well that in Mark 2:4, the fish were jumping in the boat. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. He could fish. After following Jesus for a period of time, He sends His students out to catch some fish. His instructions were simple, “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for you money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worth of his support.” Mind if I step on a toe or two? There was no blow up jumpers, popcorn, candy, pizza night, cash donations, lavish scenery, upbeat music or wild game festivals— just Jesus. The authority He freely gave was all the bait they had and all the bait they needed to fill their boat with fish. He didn’t order them to go pray for the sick, dead, and demon-possessed; He said go do it. In the world of fishing for men, those that do that make the best fishermen. No father who raises his son to catch fish would require him to do so with methods and means that were never taught and limit his capacity to imitate he from whom he learned. Notice also that those he sent out were all different rods and reels with one thing in common; they knew where and how to fish. A great fisherman in his own right, Billy Graham, said this, “95% of the ministry that the early church did would have failed without the spirit of God upon them. 95% of what we attempt to do would succeed even if He didn’t show up.” Y Shawn Dean is Regional Sales Manager for Airflo Sales, Inc., located in Ridgeland, MS. He and his wife, Laura Beth, have three children, Isabelle, Ann Mabry, and Mary Frances. They live in Madison.
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Mike Campbell a
26 DECEMBER 2014 â?˜ Mississippi Christian Living
and Redeemer Church Gospel-Centered and Gospel-Driven
by NANCY FLOWERS
hen Mike Campbell was a boy in Bluefield, Virginia, he never imagined the work God would equip him to do in Jackson, Mississippi. Mike is senior pastor at
W
Redeemer Church, a multi-ethnic community of Christians affiliated with the theologically conservative Presbyterian Church in America. God has given him a fiery passion to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and a tender pastor’s heart to shepherd his diverse flock. Every opportunity since Bluefield has been divinely navigated to shape him and teach him, inching him toward where he is today. But he didn’t know all that back in Bluefield. He just wanted to know God. He was sixteen years old, a boy who liked to party, when he attended a revival service at the Methodist church pastored by his grandfather. The guest preacher was an African missionary who was raising money for his mission work, and Mike ended up sitting on the front row. “I was as lost as lost could be,” says Mike. “The preacher was a huge man, and he scared me! He started talking about youth and the sins of youth, and for the first time I realized that if I kept walking the path I was on, my life would turn out bad.” After talking with his grandfather, Mike knew he was truly converted. He had a passion for the Lord and His Word, and began reading the Bible with a hunger to know God. He searched all over his small town for religious books and writings, but found very few reading resources to help him understand what had happened to him.
Redeemer has a broad and young membership. Baptisms mean a great youth program for a long time!
Mike and Keren have three children. Elisabeth, 12, and Matthew, 17. (Not pictured: Katie, 19, is a junior at the University of Mississippi.)
mschristianliving.com ❘ DECEMBER 2014 27
“I found some of those dispensational comic books that talked about the end of the world,” he laughs. “But I read them anyway and shared them with my friends.” He became a youth leader, and soon people were talking about him going into ministry. “They thought anybody who loved Jesus like that should become a preacher,” Mike says. “I preached my first sermon only three months after I was saved.” After high school, he knew he wanted to study the Word, so he enrolled at King College, a Presbyterian school in Bristol, Tennessee. Coming from an Arminian background, and not really knowing what that meant, he soon began to understand the differences between Arminianism, a theology based on man’s freedom to choose or refuse the salvation of God, and Calvinism, or Reformed faith, which is based on the doctrine of God’s sovereign election of His people. 28 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
“I’d never even met a Presbyterian before college!” Mike laughs. “But after two years of studying the Bible, I saw the doctrine of election and God’s sovereignty. I knew the Presbyterian Church was where I needed to be.” While in college, Mike worked with Agape in Peace, a homeless ministry in Bristol. And he met his wife Keren, who is originally from the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. They married in 1987. He went on to seminary at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, and earned a Master of Divinity at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. “Not by chance,” God opened up a position for him as coordinator in a homeless ministry. But Mike still didn’t sense a call to become a pastor. Mike and Keren moved to Miami, where he spent five years working with Ministries in Action leading mission teams to poor areas in the Caribbean and in Latin America. “It was
where I got my heart for pastoring,” Mike says. He became pastor of Pinelands Presbyterian Church in 1997, and for the next seven years worked to help revitalize the church, which had lost its sanctuary in Hurricane Andrew. God blessed the work, growing the congregation to 350 members. In the two-mile radius surrounding the church, Mike discovered that the ethnic makeup of the people was evenly divided among whites, Hispanics, and blacks, most of which were of Caribbean origin. “Once I understood the gospel, I had a heart for seeing all kinds of people gather together to glorify God,” he says of his diverse congregation at Pinelands. “But I wanted to be in a setting to do cross-cultural ministry with more blacks.” So he began praying. In 2004, Trinity Presbyterian Church, which had outgrown its location after more
Mike gives glory to God for His providence in bringing together people with the right mix of gifts. “It’s all God,” he says. “He wanted it to happen. He has placed us as a bridge church and a conduit for reaching people with the gospel.” And today, after ten years of ministry, the Lord has grown Redeemer into a thriving fellowship of gifted and committed Christians.
than fifty years on Northside Drive in Jackson, decided to purchase the former location of Christ United Methodist Church on Old Canton Road. But a core group of the church wanted to stay in the Northside Drive location and continue the ministry in the transitioning neighborhoods around the church. So while Mike was in Miami praying for an opportunity, the group in Jackson was praying for a pastor to lead them. They conducted a pastor search, and the Lord, always working in the lives of His people, led them to Mike. He interviewed for the position and was welcomed with unanimous approval. In the organizing stages, Mike worked closely with Steve Lanier and Dina Plunket to put into motion the things the Lord had put on their hearts. Steve, who has served in Christian ministry since college, had been on staff with Trinity as director of outreach and missions. During the transition period, Steve worked in both churches until Redeemer was mschristianliving.com ❘ DECEMBER 2014 29
Diversity in the best—the very best—sense of the word. From the choir to the social outreach, you will find black and white, side by side, working and playing together. It works at Redeemer because of the common denominator that is Christ.
fully established. Dina, who had also been on staff at Trinity, is a skilled church administrator with a wealth of experience, having served in three sizable churches in the Jackson area. The three continue to serve the Lord faithfully and obediently at Redeemer. Mike gives glory to God for His providence in bringing together people with the right mix of gifts. “It’s all God,” he says. “He wanted it to happen. He has placed us as a bridge church and a conduit for reaching people with the gospel.” And today, after ten years of ministry, the Lord has grown Redeemer into a thriving fellowship of gifted and committed Christians. Mike and Keren have three children, and are grateful that all are believers in the Lord Jesus. Katherine, 19, is a junior at the University of Mississippi; Matthew, 17, is a senior at Jackson Academy; and Elisabeth, 12, is in the eighth grade at Christ Covenant School. Redeemer has attracted a good number
30 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
of African American members, and bringing How can people from different contexts be together people from very different brought together? Mike believes it begins backgrounds has required careful shepherding. with understanding the things that are essential for Christian faith. He has developed the ACE model to better explain. A is adiaphora, a Greek word meaning “indifferent “What we are about is the things,” things outside the faith that are gospel,” says Mike.“This is not a spiritually neutral. C is confession, the constitutional things from which the Christian sociological experiment; this is is taught. E represents the essential things, the an outworking of Christ’s central component for one to be a Christian; that one knows Jesus Christ as his Lord and atonement. This is really what Savior. Working from the inside out puts the the gospel does.” indifferent things in their proper place— important but not essential for Christian faith. “Partisan politics needs to get pushed “A lot of things have divided people in the aside,” Mike says. “The Apostle Paul, in south over the issue of race,” says Mike. “We writing to believers, takes things that would have a history of oppression, a lot of cultural be dearly important and pushes those things disconnect. Politically, people don’t think the to the adiaphora category. Believers can hold same. Christians are influenced by the Word, of those things, but they do not need them.” course, but everyone is shaped by It is this type of thinking that has enabled a context.” Redeemer members with differing political
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and cultural contexts to engage in non-heated discussions that have led to gospel-centered Christian relationships. “These conversations may not change opinions, but they bring people together,” says Mike. “We can’t just tell other people what we think about certain issues, we must love them as our Christian brothers and sisters. The Apostle Paul fought to keep Jews and Gentiles together for the gospel. That’s what has driven us.” The love of God in the hearts of Christians fuels a desire to share the gospel with those in need, both spiritually and physically. Redeemer is in the early stages of planting a church in the Farish Street–Midtown area of Jackson. The desire is to reach out to people in need, and to be in an area close enough for Redeemer members to be engaged. Some of the members have been prayer walking through the downtown neighborhoods, meeting people and praying for them. “We want to know people,” says Mike, “and for them to know we love Jesus and love them.” That love is the driving motivation behind The Redeemer’s School. Establishing an Urban Christian school was on Mike’s heart even before he came to Redeemer. The school is geared to children from lower socioeconomic levels, offering them a Christian education with academic excellence. Though the school had been in the planning stages for a few years, a lack of funding seemed an insurmountable obstacle. But the Lord drew from His unseen treasuries, and provided a substantial gift from a California donor who
had for many years given to overseas missions. With the gift, The Redeemer’s School was able to hire DeSean Dyson as its head of school, and the doors opened in August 2013 with K4, K5, and first grade. The school will add a grade each year and eventually serve children in grades K-8. “It isn’t that I don’t want good public schools,” Mike says, “but I wanted families to have a Christian opportunity.” Redeemer has remained faithful to the vision of being a diverse community of Christians reaching out to love others. They have partnered with the Better Jackson Foundation to establish a community garden in the Broadmoor neighborhood near the church. They support local, national, and world mission and ministry organizations. They are aggressive about ministering to young people. And they are driven to do it because their hearts have been transformed by the gospel of Christ. “What we are about is the gospel,” says Mike. “This is not a sociological experiment; this is an outworking of Christ’s atonement. This is really what the gospel does.” To learn more about Redeemer Church, visit www.redeemerjackson.com. Y
Nancy Flowers writes, teaches the Bible, and sells real estate in the Jackson area. Contact her at nancyhflowers@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter @NancyHFlowers.
Christmas Time! There’s excitement in the air! You can feel it everywhere! Christmas Time is FINALLY here... Filling our hearts with love and cheer! There’s expectation in their eyes–As kids look for Santa across the skies! It’s hard to describe the feeling of joy Found on the faces of each girl and boy! In the churches, the malls, or down the street... The children are telling everyone they meet, “Santa’s Coming!” they say with a grin! “Yes, Santa Claus is coming again!” “We’ve been ready for him for weeks, you see... With the decorations and our Christmas Tree! Soon, we’ll put out milk and cookies, too! I wonder what Santa will bring for you!?”
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Jay Brown, MD Dr. Jay Brown, a native of Bay Springs, Mississippi, received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Mississippi and completed his medical degree and Ophthalmology residency at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, where he was presented with an Award for Excellence in Ophthalmology studies. His retina fellowship was completed at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he proudly served as the Chief of Ophthalmology at Mississippi Baptist Hospital from 2010 to 2012. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology.
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But, when they awaken on Christmas morn– How many remember their Savior was born? As they take gifts from under the tree; Will they remember Calvary? Will they remember how He died on that Cross, To keep all people from being lost? Or, that He rose again the Third Day? He paid the price we could not pay! Because of Jesus, we won’t die in sin; And better yet, HE is coming again! He’ll take us to a far more wonderful place, Where we’ll see Him daily Face to Face! So, as you take gifts from under your tree– Remember God’s Gift to you and to me! The TRUE meaning of Christmas will be very clear! And, best of all; it will last all year! There’s excitement in the air! You can feel it everywhere! Christmas Time is ALWAYS here...Filling our hearts with love and cheer! There’s expectation in our eyes–As we look for JESUS across the Skies! In the churches, the malls or down the street... His children are telling everyone they meet, “JESUS is coming!!” they say with a grin! “Jesus Christ is coming again!” “I’ve been ready for Him a while, you see... I’d love to take you to Heaven with me!! Soon He’ll be here! You’ll know it, too!” I wonder if Jesus is coming for You?!” Merry CHRISTMAS and a Blessed 2015!
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➺food for thought
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.”
by LYDIA BOLEN
– John 4:34
Gifts from the Kitchen he month of December is alive with festive activities.
T
Schools are presenting holiday programs, Christmas parades are enjoyed, and special church and choir programs are on the calendar. The center of all this activity is the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He taught us to give, and to give freely of our time and our talents. As I think about “giving” this Christmas season, I want to be conscious of giving gifts of love. Nothing will please your friends more than a gift made in your own kitchen! Thoughtful and useful gifts like Hot Mustard, Sausage Pinwheels, and Maple-Pecan Topping please all ages.
HOT MUSTARD 2 ounces Coleman’s dry mustard (2 small cans) 1 cup cider vinegar 3 eggs 1 cup sugar
Mix mustard and vinegar together. Let stand overnight. Mix eggs and sugar in saucepan over medium heat until mixture is smooth. Add mustard mixture and cook, stirring often until mixture thickens. This sauce is good served warm or cold. Recipe can be doubled. Good served as a side sauce with pork or turkey. Present as a gift in small glass jars.
Hot Mustard can be served in a pretty compote dish as a nice side sauce with turkey or pork. It can also be presented in small glass jars tied with raffia or ribbon. Sausage Pinwheels are perfect to have for Christmas morning breakfast. As gifts, the pinwheels can be given frozen. Simply provide instructions to thaw, slice, and bake to serve warm. Maple-Pecan Topping served over vanilla ice cream is delicious for dessert at your Christmas Eve dinner.You can gift in a clear jar adorned with a festive ribbon. Happy gift giving! Y
MAPLE-PECAN SAUCE 1 1/4 1 1/4 1/4 1/2 1/2
cup maple syrup cup brown sugar, lightly packed tablespoon butter cup water cup half & half cream teaspoon vanilla extract cup chopped pecans, toasted
In a heavy saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, butter, and water. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the cream, vanilla and nuts. Cool to room temperature so it will thicken to right consistency. Yields one cup. Serve over ice cream. Can store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks. As a gift, present sauce in glass jar adorned with festive ribbon.
SAUSAGE PIN WHEELS 1 pound bulk sausage 2 cans crescent roll dough
Open one can of dough and roll out on a cookie sheet. Pinch all the scored edges together. Repeat this for the second can of dough. Cut bulk sausage in half, and spread half over each piece of rolled out dough. Roll dough up lengthwise. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until firm. Rolls can be frozen at this point. If frozen, thaw completely before baking. For baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut rolls into one-half inch pieces and place the crescent swirls one-half inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown and sausage is cooked. Y
Remember to make memories through the kitchen—“the heartbeat of the home.” E-mail me at lbbolen@gmail.com for any questions. 36 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
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➺pastor’s perspective by ROBERT GREEN
What I’m NOT Doing This Christmas
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here is a very real problem and it’s only getting worse. I blame other people for this problem. It adversely affects me, and millions of others. The
problem: people driving in the left or “passing” lane despite the fact that they are not passing. Clearly, they have never passed anybody ever. Plodding in the passing lane, lingering in the left lane, they are clogging up the transportation arteries of our nation. What do you do when these problem people slow you down? Pass them on the right After he had dismissed and glare? Get behind the problem the crowds, he went up driver and flash your lights? Honk your on a mountainside horn until the driver looks in the rearview himself to pray. Later mirror and sees you making suggestive, that night, he was there helpful hand motions? alone. There is an inner psychology of – MATTHEW 14:23 speed. Something in us pulls us in the direction of saving time, maximizing efficiency, hurrying through life, cramming more into every hour, stretching to the breaking point. We eat faster, move faster, talk faster, and when listening, nod faster to encourage the talker to accelerate. The world is moving from a “big-eat-thecardiovascular system, but we can’t seem small” to a “fast-eat-the-slow” one. to get it out of our system. A counselor told me this I want this Christmas week, “Burnout used to be season to be one something found in people in marked by what I’m their 40s and 50s. Now I’m Very early in the NOT gonna do. seeing men and women in morning while it was I want LESS fast and their 30s, and even 20s.” still dark, Jesus got up, MORE slow. Fast is busy, Hyper stress, I’ve been left the house and went At daybreak Jesus controlling, aggressive, reading, isn’t good for us. It’s off to a solitary place, went out to a hurried, analytical, not good for the circulatory where he prayed. solitary place. stressed, and shallow. system, immune system, – MARK 1:35 – LUKE 4:42 Slow is calm, receptive, digestive system, or still, intuitive, unhurried,
We believe that every moment matters. Maybe that’s why so many families believe in us when it comes to choosing a hospice provider. Ask us about volunteer opportunities. Provide the gift of companionship and a listening ear to a family facing a life-limiting illness. For more information or to receive our free DVD, “Hospice and Your Loved One,” call 601-983-3193. gentiva.com/hospice
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40 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. – JOHN 6:15
patient, and reflective. The smallest setback, the slightest delay, the merest whiff of slowness can provoke vein-popping fury. All the things that bind us together and make life worth living— community, family, friends— thrive on the one thing we never seem to have enough of: TIME. All four Gospels show us a Savior who took time to be with the One who centers his soul: Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42; and John 6:15. Refreshingly, this draws me into a different and better way. Y
Robert Green is the senior pastor at Fondren Church. Contact him at robert.green@fondrenchurch.com
Sunday Fund 100% of the money donated is used to support elders in Mississippi.
Attention to Detail
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Contact us today. Grantham, Poole, Randall, Reitano, Arrington, & Cunningham, PLLC 1062 Highland Colony Pkwy, Suite 201, Ridgeland, MS 39157 P 601.499.2400 granthampoole.com
The Sunday Fund is a benevolence fund created to meet the financial burdens of elders who live in one of the 12 MSS campuses across Mississippi. These are elders who have outlived their resources and can no longer afford the cost of housing or care. To-date, because of the generosity of many, no elder has ever had to move from one of our residences because of financial hardships.
Its not too late to make a 2014 Sunday Fund donation! Donate online at mss.org or call 888-488-4414. ...Serving older adults in the spirit of Christian love.
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➺fresh finds Hand-Picked for the Holidays 1 | THE COTTON BLOSSOM FABRIC SHOPPE 601.427.5214 cottonblossomfarm.com Cotton Blossom Farm
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➺legal advice by ELIZABETH WYNN
Death in the Age of Facebook hen an individual dies, his named executor or other fiduciary is allowed access to all physical assets including letters, documents, and legal papers. However, in today’s digital age, these fiduciaries also need authority over administering digital assets and accounts upon the incapacitation or death of the account holder. Almost everyone has at least some assets that are not physical, but instead are stored as data and accessed through the Internet. These digital assets include emails, documents, online photo streams, social media accounts, insurance records, and bank accounts, as well as logins and passwords used to access online accounts. Imagine this.You could leave photos and videos behind that no one can access.You could have online accounts with money or credits left in them, or you could lock away important financial information with passwords that no one can access. Or you could have social media accounts that continue to produce painful reminders of your absence to your loved ones. This is a problem all of us who access the Internet will encounter in time. There are a few things you can do to deal with these issues now before you die to avoid leaving your loved ones with a tangle of inaccessible digital assets. First and foremost, make an inventory of all your digital assets. This will probably seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Start with the most important assets and work from there. For example, you may want to
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begin with your primary email account. This is likely the most important step because usually this is where other online accounts interface, providing login and password resets, credit card balances, accounts payable, just to name a few. Second, decide what you want to happen to all your intellectual property once you’re deceased. Do you actually want someone else to access your emails, photos, videos, or other materials? There may be some things you want your loved ones to see and some things you don’t. Decide now and make sure your wishes are known. Lastly, give someone authority over your digital assets in the event of your incapacitation or death. This can be done through a Power of Attorney, Last Will and Testament, or Trust planning. You must also consider and plan for your online accounts. Google for instance, through their “Inactive Account Manager” allows users to share parts of their account data or notify someone if they’ve been inactive for a certain period of time. On the other hand, upon request and presentation of a death certificate, Yahoo will only allow you to delete an account. There are no options to access a decedent’s emails or photos. According to the Yahoo Terms of Service, “You agree that your Yahoo account is non-transferable and any rights to your Yahoo ID or contents within your account terminate upon your death.” Facebook, once provided with a death certificate, will allow you to delete an account or memorialize it, which basically freezes it in time and removes
it from certain features, like “People You May Know.” Most of the major social media accounts have policies in place to deal with a decedent’s account in similar ways as these, and still others are silent. Check with the Terms of Service on all your online accounts to see what steps you need to take to insure you include all your accounts in your digital asset estate planning. Practically speaking, the best way to make sure these important digital assets go to the right people is to share the necessary information with those people. It’s never a good idea to include login information in your will because a will becomes public record at your death. This would allow any stranger to have access to these accounts. Alternatively, in your estate planning documents you can direct your digital fiduciary to a safe place, like a safe deposit box, where he can locate this information. Another option is a password manager. There are online companies that allow you to choose a digital heir to inherit access to your passwords, which will be stored with that company. Regardless of which method of retrieval you use, make sure you specifically include digital assets in your estate planning wishes. Y
Elizabeth Wynn is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and practices law in Ridgeland. She and her family live in Madison.
What are Essential Oils? How are Essential Oils used? How can you be assured of quality Essential Oils? Essential Oils are Mother Nature’s therapeutic solution and Young Living sets the standard for determining essential oil purity and potency. All these questions and any others you have. I can answer. Contact Me PAMILA ROSS | Young Living Independent Distributor 601.672.9349 | ross.pamila@gmail.com www.youngliving.org/pamila | facebook.com/pamilaYLOils ZYTO scans. $25.00 per person. Follow up in 3 months free (FREE ZYTO scan with YL member sign up) 44 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
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YOU·VE WORKED HARD FOR IT³WHY THROW IT AWAY? While you are alive, you can and should make all decisions and manage your personal affairs. What if you become incompetent? What happens at your death? Who will take over and manage your affairs? Will it be someone you chose or the court chose? How is that done? Will it be outside of court or in court? The same questions arise with the distribution of your assets. What about protecting your FKLOG·V LQKHULWDQFH IURP D GLYRUFH RU D ODZVXLW" :LOO \RXU KDUG-earned savings go to the nursing home? Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Howell Kyle & Wynn, PLLC is committed to providing you with the knowledge and tools needed to avoid these types of situations which can be financially and emotionally devastating to your loved ones. Below are some items to consider:
Our life expectancy has increased, but are all of us going to be in good health in our old age? Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing what the future holds for ourselves and our families. Howell Kyle & Wynn, PLLC is dedicated to providing you and your family a plan that offers true peace of mind.
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➺rave reviews BOOK The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving Reviewed by Susan E. Richardson ZonderKidz adds to their popular hardback picture books with The Legend of St. Nicholas: A Story of Christmas Giving. Author Dandi Daley Mackall tells the story with accompanying full color illustrations by Richard Cowdrey. We meet Nick first, a contemporary boy who is unwillingly finishing his Christmas shopping with his dad. He’d much rather find something for himself than buy gifts for others. While looking, he hears the store Santa use his name, and stops to listen as Santa tells the story of St. Nicholas. The story includes how God’s gift of Jesus and the gifts of the Wise Men inspired St. Nicholas’ own giving. Nick takes the story to heart and goes back to his shopping, choosing just the right present for everyone. In the process he learns the joy of giving. Anyone looking for the history of St. Nicholas will need to go elsewhere, as this story barely touches the historical Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. For those avoiding Santa Claus, both illustrations and story include more than one portrayal, and the artist pictures St. Nicholas himself in a Santa-like red suit. Parents or grandparents who simply want to reinforce generosity with their preschoolers will find The Legend of St. Nicholas a good choice as a read-aloud title. The illustration style gives a classic tone to the book rather than being cartoonish while the hardback format makes it a durable gift. Pictures and words balance nicely and the message comes through clearly. Y Susan E. Richardson is a writer, critique reader, and former Christian retailer with a passion for meeting people’s needs through the written word.You can reach her through her website www.nextlevelcritiques.com.
Intentional Faith By Martin Willoughby For close to a decade, Martin Willoughby has been a mainstay of this Christian Living magazine. His practical insights and his ability to connect the dots between the Christian walk and the Christian talk have made him a favorite of our readers. His new book is largely a compilation of his columns—a treasure of timeless wisdom and life lessons that most of us would wish to live by as well as to impart to those who matter most to us. Martin’s sharp mind and his pragmatic approach to the challenges of life, work, family, and faith—in our 2014 complex world—make this a book that will have wide appeal. Whether you are a college student or a retiree, or male or female, I guarantee the character and faith issues discussed in these pages will resonate. Intentional Faith will be one of those books you find yourself going back to again and again. By the way, you can join us all and get your own autographed copy at LifeWay Christian Store in Jackson on Saturday, December 6, from 1to 4 p.m. A great gift idea! . Y Foreword by Marilyn Tinnin
EDITOR’S PICK Yonder Breaks the Morning By Laurie Parker Yonder Breaks the Morning is a refreshingly original southern story, a tribute to our precious and dwindling population of WWII veterans, a touching Christmas tale, and most of all, a poignant account that reminds us that beneath the seemingly mundane there is something forever mysterious and miraculous, and people from different walks of life and generations are sometimes more linked than they realize. Fans of Parker’s The Turtle Saver will appreciate what she has crafted in prose with this one—a heartwarming, Deep South version of It’s A Wonderful Life that will have you smiling AND reaching for the tissue box! Y
Financial guidance that is a breed apart Phillips Financial… Mississippi’s wealth management advisors phillipsfinancial.org 104 West Lampkin Street | Starkville, MS 39759 Phone: 662-324-2889 | Fax: 662-324-2890 Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC
46 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
For we have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him.
Merry Christmas from all of us at... www.star93fm.com
➺events calendar JACKSON
December 6-7
New Stage Theatre presents Peter Pan. Details and tickets at newstagetheatre.com.
The Nutcracker at Thalia Mara Hall presented by Ballet Mississippi. balletms.com
December 5-6
December 20-21
December 4–21
Belhaven UniversityÕs Singing Christmas Tree. 7:30 p.m. both evenings in the Belhaven Soccer Bowl. For details, Belhaven.edu.
Ballet Magnificat presents “Most Incredible Christmas” at Thalia Mara Hall. Admission is free, but reserved tickets are required. 601.977.1001 or balletmagnificat.com.
December 6
Mississippi Children’s Museum presents “The Santa Institute” from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Get answers to all of your questions about Santa, his elves, and the reindeer. For details see mississippichildrensmuseum.com.
Lifeway book signing for Mississippi Christian Living favorite columnist Martin Willoughby! You can have Martin personalize copies of Intentional Faith from 1–4:00 p.m.
December 6 Jackson’s Christmas Parade begins at noon in downtown Jackson.
December 6 MS Museum of Natural Science invites you to the Gift Shop Holiday Open House. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Shop for unique MS made gifts. Enjoy free gift-wrapping and Joe Mac Hudspeth. Jr. signs his book, My Southern Wild.
December 6-7 Chimneyville Crafts Festival at the Mississippi Trade Mart. A Jackson tradition! See craftsmensguildofms.org for times and details.
INVERNESS December 6-7 Follow the Star: A Walk to the Manger. An original Christmas Story presented as a dramatic musical tour unfolding as you “walk” through each scene to the manger: 5:30–7:00 p.m. Tours begin every 15 minutes. Family-friendly and free! 662.207.0425 or 662.207.0743.
December 20
December 5, 12, and 13 Sounds of the Season in the Old Capitol Rotunda. Enjoy local choirs at noon on these days. For details and specific choir performances. 601.576.6920 or email info@oldcapitolmuseum.com.
KOSCIUSKO December 5 The Attala County Historical Society invites you to enjoy the Candlelight Tour of Historic Homes and Structures. 5–8 p.m. Enjoy caroling, refreshments, and the decorations of some of Kosciusko’s most beautiful homes. 662.289.2981 for more details.
MADISON December 4-7
BOLTON December 13 Annual Christmas Parade begins at 10 a.m. For information or to enter your band or your group, call Ms. Alfenette Robinson at 601.866.4247.
The Madison Square Center for the Arts presents “Miracle on 34th Street.” For details and tickets see madisoncenterplayers.org.
PEARL December 6
HATTIESBURG December 17–23 Zoo Lights from 6–8 p.m. each night! A great family event includes unlimited train
Successfully serving Madison and surrounding areas for 18 years, because we truly believe it's all about customer service.
48 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
and carousel rides and much more. Hattiesburgzoo.com for details.
The Jingle Bell Market takes place at Trustmark Park from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Food, vendors, exhibits, music and more. pearlms.org.
PELAHATCHIE
STARKVILLE
December 13 & 14
December 3 -4
The Shiloh United Methodist Church will have Journey to Bethlehem, a drivethrough live Nativity. For more info, contact swadsworth@sfbli.com.
Holiday Bazaar at the Starkville Sportsplex. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Over 90 merchants and something for everyone on your gift list! Starkville.org for details.
TUPELO December 4, 5, 6
RIDGELAND December 6, 10:30 a.m. December 7, 8:30 a.m. First Ridgeland Baptist Church invites you to Breakfast in Bethlehem in the Family Life Center. Enjoy breakfast and then be taken to the ancient land of Israel to the town of Bethlehem and see the truth for yourself— the birth of Hope, the Beginning of Love, the Reason for Peace through a live Nativity and a breathtaking backdrop that will bring His truth to life. firstridgeland.org.
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas presented by the Tupelo Community Theatre, 201 North Broadway. A wonderful new play by Ken Ludwig delights the entire family. $18 for adults, $6 students. 662.844.1935 or tctboxoffice@bellsouth.net for info.
December 6 Tupelo Ballet’s The Nutcracker with the Tupelo Symphony Orchestra at Tupelo High School Performing Arts Center. Matinee and evening performances. Admission $30 adults, $15 students, $20 seniors. 662.844.1928 or tupeloballet.com.
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➺quips & quotes
ADVERTISER INDEX
}
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Cut out the scriptures and quotes and place them around your home for daily encouragement!
✂
Refusing to forgive someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things—not the great occasions— give off the greatest glow of happiness.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
– Bob Hope
– PSALM 73:26
– Erilynne Barnum
Yet as I read the birth stories about Jesus I cannot help but conclude that though the world may be tilted toward the rich and powerful, God is tilted toward the underdog.
To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world. Calvin Coolidge,
– Philip Yancey – Presidential Message December 25, 1927
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Son of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Risen with healing in His wings; Mild, He lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth: Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!” No matter how carefully you stored the lights last year, they will be snarled again this Christmas.
Christmas in Bethlehem. The ancient dream: a cold, clear night made brilliant by a glorious star, the smell of incense, shepherds and wise men falling to their knees in adoration of the sweet baby, the incarnation of perfect love. – Lucinda Franks
God is here. This truth should fill our lives, and every Christmas should be for us a new and special meeting with God, when we allow his light and grace to enter deep into our soul. Josemaría Escrivá, – Christ Is Passing By
– Robert Kirby
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
– ISAIAH 9:6-7
– ROMANS 10:9
NORTH STATE
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601-982-8261 Boarding & Grooming Services Available
50 DECEMBER 2014 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living
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“The best part is that it’s not a diet…it’s a lifestyle change.”
MeLisa Stewart of Ridgeland, MS lost over 70 pounds. MeLisa Height 5’2” Before HWA After HWA 3 years later Weight ............................................................243 lbs .............................................................164 lbs. .................................175 lbs. Clothes ............................................................Size 24 .............................................................Size 12...................................Size14 Health .............................................................BP 138/92 ........................................................BP 112/77 .............................Consistent Physical Activity ..............................................Minimal ...........................................................4x per week high impact aerobics
My participation in the Healthy Weight Advantage program at St. Dominic’s improved my overall health! I am happier, healthier, and over 70 pounds lighter. Using the tools I learned, ,©DP©FRQ½©GHQW©WKDW©,©ZLOO© stay on the road to health DQG©ZHOOQHVV
HEALTHY WEIGHT ADVANTAGE
601.200.6099 www.stdom.hmrdiet.com
Free Weekly Information Sessions
PARTNERS IN HEALING Capstone is a residential treatment center for adolescent and young adult sons, ages 14-24. Our highly trained therapy team partners with parents to help sons who struggle with: â?„ â?„ â?„ â?„
substance abuse sexual acting out pornography compulsive behaviors
â?„ trauma â?„ family conflict â?„ behavioral issues
Canine Therapy is a magical and unique part of Capstone’s program. Each resident receives a registered Labrador Retriever puppy when he admits to Capstone. The primary benefit of Canine Therapy is the relationship between the resident and his puppy, who shows unconditional love and acceptance to the resident. Upon graduation the resident takes his dog home with him. The puppy serves as a sober companion and consistent reminder of the resident’s Capstone experience and is the best aftercare therapist that a graduate could have.
THERAPY TEAM EDUCATION t All are Master’s Degree or Ph.D. level therapists t Most were taught by Capstone Founder in specialized graduate school for 2 years prior to being hired TRAINING t CSAT Supervisor t t Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Part II) t
INTENSIVE THERAPY PROGRAM INDIVIDUAL THERAPY t Averages 1 therapist to 2 residents t Each resident receives 6 and 3 hours of individual therapy every other week from their Primary Therapist, except during Family Week and Trauma Week FAMILY THERAPY t Over 70 hours of family therapy t Comprehensive family treatment plan
LICENSURE TRACKS t Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and/or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
t Weekly phone consultation with Primary Therapist for 3 months t 2-day Family Intensive/Relapse Prevention Tune-Up t graduation
TEAMWORK t Therapists collectively review each resident’s progress in individual and group therapy on a weekly basis in order to develop a more comprehensive treatment plan
CUTTING EDGE THERAPY t The Core Model is an Integrated Systems Model that incorporates Family Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology, and Adventure Therapy with issue-driven specialty training in trauma and multiple addictions
Capstone treatment center CAPSTONE TREATMENT CENTER Professional Professional Excellence Excellence � Christ-Centered Christ-Centered
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Capstone’ scope of treatment CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS • Depression • Anxiety • ADHD/ADD • PTSD ADDICTIONS • Substances • Pornography • Sexual • Compulsive Video Gaming • Gambling • Internet • Compulsive Behaviors TRAUMA • Sexual Abuse • Physical Abuse • Divorce • PTSD • Rejection/Loss/Death • Neglect/Emotional Abuse • Attachment Issues • Self-Injury • Natural Disaster • Accidents/Surgery • Invasive Medical Procedures
BEHAVIOR & ATTITUDE • Defiance • Entitlement • Idleness • Anger Explosions • Irresponsibility • Apathy • Laziness • Over-Indulgence • School/Legal Problems FAMILY THERAPY • Family Conflict • Marital Issues • Parent-Child Difficulties • Sibling Problems RELINQUISHMENT/ ADOPTION ISSUES LOW SELF-ESTEEM