October 2010 Metro Christian Living

Page 1

FREE

OCTOBER 2010

CHRISTIAN LEADERS OF THE FUTURE is an opportunity for high-school seniors to share their story of faith and leadership. The top finalist are selected by a panel of judges from around the metro area. They will receive a recognition plaque, gifts, and will be featured on the cover of the March 2011 edition of Metro Christian Living. The most outstanding student will receive a scholarship for the college of their choice.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO RECOGNIZE CHRISTIAN STUDENTS who walk in faith, honor the Lord, and lead with their heart.

KNOW A

CHRISTIAN L EADER O F T H E F U T U R E?

Applications are available at: www. metrochristianliving.com or through your school counselor or youth pastor.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 3, 2010 For More Information contact Metro Christian Living 601-790-9076 or leaders@metrochristianliving.com

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metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 5

contents OCTOBER 2010

®

columns 10 The Way I See It Idols of the heart

12 Fall Facts 13 HomeWorks Dinnertime devotionals

14 Marketplace Manners 5 Ways to be a fun fan

23 Let’s Talk it Over Learning and loving in a blended family

25 Money Talks Teaching our kids the value of a dollar

33 Legal Advice

features

20 26

A precious gift for your family (and yourself!)

Faith in Action Local believers following God in big ways

departments

The Kwansy Krew

16 Our Daily Bread How do you keep the faith?

Life is in session for this family of 10

17 Fresh Finds The greater Belhaven market

18 This is My Story

12

24

Dr. Thomas Wiley finds healing through writing

19 Q&A Breast cancer recovery & reconstruction

24 Welcome Home Spic and span

30 Healthy Living Walk it off

12

31 Food For Thought

31

An autumn dinner

32 Let’s Get Real The work of the womb

34 In Black & White Grace is greater than race

35 Education Connection Financial aid, easy as 1 – 2 – 3!

36 Rave Reviews Movie, music & book

What’s Coming Next Month Congressman Marsha Blackburn Passion, Politics and Purpose

6 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

➺

in every issue 8 37 38 38

Editor’s Letter Event Calendar Quips & Quotes Ad Directory

Volume 5, Number 5 Publisher: MHS Publications, Inc., Member, M.I.P.A. Editor: Marilyn Tinnin marilyn@metrochristianliving.com Associate Editor: Christi B. Steckel christi@metrochristianliving.com Administrative Assistant: Carol Rodgers carol@metrochristianliving.com Sales & Editorial Assistant Ashley Cirilli Art Direction/Graphic Design: Sandra K. Goff Sales: Marilyn Tinnin, Christi B. Steckel Contributing Writers: Lydia Allison, Lydia Bolen, Susan Deaver, Ellen Gabardi, Cathy Haynie, Jennifer Heggie, William Howell, J. Randall Mascagni, Theresa Polk, Susan E. Richardson, Dr. Scott Runnels, Dolphus Weary, Julie Whitehead, Martin E. Willoughby, Jr. Cover Photography: Contributed by the Kwasny Family Distribution Assistants: Laura Blackledge, Hannah Coward, Kim Roberts, Carol Rodgers, Rachel Schulte, Jerri Strickland, Priscilla Sullivan, Bob Whatley

Metro 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 life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Views expressed in Metro Christian Living do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Metro 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 2008 by Metro 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.

Metro 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 Metro Christian Living, 573 Highway 51 North, Suite C, Ridgeland, MS 39157, phone number 601-790-9076.

M I P A Mississippi Independent Publishers' Alliance

metrochristianliving.com Want encouragement, humor, recipes, MYLZO ÄUKZ HUK L]LY`KH` HK]PJL&

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Advice that works. metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 7

➺editor’s letter Family—One Size Does Not Fit All “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” – Deuteronomy 6: 6, 7

elcome to our family edition. And please keep reading. Regardless of the age or stage of your “nest” empty or full—we do have something in these pages just for you. When I read Christi Steckel’s cover story on John and Martie Kwasny this month, I immediately waxed nostalgic recalling the once popular television series—The Waltons. The story of the large, close-knit, earthy family from the Blue Ridge Mountains ran from 1972-1981. The ties that bound that family were strong, and three generations, with very human quirks and strong personalities lived and worked side by side. There was a sense of unshakable security that characterized the Walton clan even though the world around them was in a state of chaos. The fictitious family weathered the Great Depression and World War II. There were hard times a plenty in the stuff of life, but their roots and their upbringing had instilled integrity, resilience and faith in them all. Character was their family legacy. I think they captured our imagination because they stirred the very highest aspirations of the human spirit—the desire to love and be loved and to be connected—really connected heart to heart. So get ready. Read about our own Kwasny family and be inspired…be hopeful because God’s principles are timeless, effective, and never out-of-date. The traditional American family has been under assault for quite a while. As the building block of God’s model for civilization, those “powers and principalities” the apostle Paul refers to in Ephesians 6:12 are all about wreaking havoc on that particular institution. A little research reveals that 68.7 percents of today’s youth are growing up in a non-traditional family. More than 50 percent of babies born in 2010 to a two parent family will find their parents divorced before their 18th birthday. One comforting and true thing about God is that even if your family is not scoring 100 percent on the ideal charts, His power is never limited because of our failures. Single parents, blended families…take heart. We can’t mess it up so terribly that our challenges are beyond His understanding, His compassion or His reach. I love the blog I read recently by a grandmother who said, “All families are dysfunctional. The question is how much and to what degree?” I don’t remember this lady’s name, but I love her because she speaks truth. And I also love that God’s word always takes us back to the larger truth—His truth where there is always hope and redemption and comfort. Happy October! Enjoy your football, the leaves and look forward with me to that first chilly crisp morning that says, “Fall is finally here!” That will indeed be the day the Lord has made, and I, personally, will rejoice and be glad in it in an extra special way! Y

W

family goes, ❝ Asso the goes the nation and the world in which we live.

❞

– Pope John Paul II

Life Equity

U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn

8 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

Marilyn H. Tinnin, Publisher and Editor marilyn@metrochristianliving.com

From Marilyn’s Bookshelf

The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children Stormie O’Martian

Radical Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream David Platt

The Hole in Our Gospel Richard Stearns

Holiday Potpourri A First Presbyterian Day School Fall Tradition October 22, 2010

+

At the Home of Cissye and Billy Mounger 4781 East Massena Drive

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, his love endures forever. Psalm 118:29

BAPTIST MEDICAL CENTER Pediatric Services at Baptist consist of • Emergency Room care, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with all ER board certified physicians • Same-day surgery care for outpatient procedures such as tonsillectomies, placement of ear tubes and many other common pediatric procedures • Radiology, for x-rays and other diagnostic images • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit • Newborn Outpatient Clinic

Additional information about Pediatric Services may be found at www.mbhs.org/pediatrics. 601-948-6262. metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 9

the way i see it ➺ Healthy, tasty Idols of the Heart by MARTIN E. WILLOUGHBY, JR.

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www.sweettreeyogurt.com Become a TreeHugger. Join us on Wi-fi Available. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

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10 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

W

We find ourselves in the midst of another action-packed football season. In American professional sports, nothing is as big as the Super Bowl, and last year’s Super Bowl broke the all-time record for TV viewership in this country. What’s interesting to me is that despite the blood, sweat and tears that go into a Super Bowl and the attention it receives, the hype quickly fades from our memory. Think quick—who was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXVIII? If that’s too tough, try to even remember who won the game. A few years ago, Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, had an interview 60 Minutes in which he spoke about his success. He acknowledged, “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I think… it’s got to be more than this. I mean this isn’t, this can’t be, what it’s all cracked up to be.” In that moment, we got a glimpse of emptiness that can follow worldly success. In the Old Testament Solomon wrestled with this for all of Ecclesiastes and begins it by saying “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” He had everything that he could possibly want in life and found it lacking meaning. As I reflect on the challenges in life, I realize that many of my wounds are self-inflicted from chasing after false idols. Although the term “idol” seems out of date, the Bible has much to say about this topic, which is relevant today. It’s been said that, “the human heart is an idol factory.” At our core, whether a person of faith or not, we are worshippers. We put faith and hope in something and seek to anchor our lives in things besides God. Many of these things can be good, such as love, children or achievement, but we tend to turn them into supreme things that ultimately become idols. Tim Keller points out in his book Counterfeit Gods that, “Counterfeit gods disappoint and often destructively so.” Hosea 8:48 teaches us that, “With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.” The Ten Commandments clearly teach us that we are not to have any other gods before God, nor make an idol for ourselves “in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth, or in the waters below.” Studying the Bible reveals

the importance of avoiding the worship of idols and how important it is to guard our hearts from false gods. How do we recognize idols in our lives? First, we have to be willing to be honest and look deep. Where do our thoughts drift? What pushes our buttons? Where do we spend our money? Where do I place my security? These can all point us to our idols. We must recognize that when we worship idols, we have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped created things rather than our Creator (Romans 1:25). As I examine my life, I’m embarrassed at the depth of my own idol worship and how I have put false hope in many things besides God. However, I’m encouraged that the Gospel provides us the good news that although we may be inclined to worship many other things, we can turn away and look to our Creator and Savior who will provide us the ultimate freedom and victory over our inclination to pursue the false gods of the world. Y Martin E. Willoughby Jr. is an attorney/business consultant with Willoughby Law Group, PLLC, located in Ridgeland. He and his wife Nicki have two children, Ally and Trey, and live in Madison.

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Take a look at the difference a Christ-centered education can make!

FALL FACTS

Learn more at our new website www.christcovenantschool.net

October 10, 1911 Henry Ford received a patent for an automobile More than transmission 35 million pounds mechanism. of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces—enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end.

752 Pear Orchard Road Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157

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Preschool-Middle School

s of Christ Convenant School

is the record low for Jackson, Mississippi in October.

October 3, 1863 Abraham Lincoln October 28, 1879 William Lincoln was issued a patent for a

announced that the nation would celebrate an official Thanksgiving holiday in November.

lamp.

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Visit us on Facebook at Dr. Brown’s SMILES BY DESIGN MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS

12 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

Christy Harp brought a 1,725 pound pumpkin to the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off in 2009.

by CATHY HAYNIE

➺

homeworks

Dinnertime

Devotionals T

he spiritual training of children is central to our role as a parent. The foundation to all other training, this important responsibility often takes a back seat when our lives are more on the chaotic side. We begin seeing work, laundry, homework and soccer practice as the non-negotiables and allow the spiritual things to wait. In our busy world it is easy to become discouraged and decide we have no time, relegating our duties to “spiritual activities” such as Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and Christian schooling. If this is where you find yourself, consider the possibilities of prioritizing a dinnertime devotional.

Game Time An engaging way to begin is the “high, low” game. Let everyone around the table have the chance to share a high point of their day and a low point. This game proved meaningful in our young children’s lives to know what went on in their day and often grew into deeper discussions.

Pass The Basket A devotional basket might be the starting place for your family’s time. Drop in missionary prayer cards, favorite Bible verses, prayer requests, questions, and even favorite praise songs and hymns. Draw a card each night to spark meaningful conversation and a starting place.

Daily Bread Read scripture together. Proverbs is the “book of wisdom” and proves helpful for training. Try reading the chapter that coincides with the date of the month. Psalms teaches us to praise and promotes worship. Or a great place to start is the beginning! Read a chapter of the Bible, allowing each family member to read a portion. Reading together is effective and easy.

Special Reads Find a children’s Bible or study guide. Teaching our children God’s Word is the central piece to the family’s devotional or worship time, and finding the right guide can help you accomplish your goal while helping you feel more confident in the task. For young children try The Big Picture Story Bible by Gail Schoonmaker, and progress to a classic like The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos. To engage in a simple but systematic study of God’s Word with your children, check out the series, Investigating God’s Word at Home, at www.onestoryministries.org. This series takes parents and their children through all of scripture and is a 20-minute per day study that is engaging. You will appreciate that it does not assign a date to each lesson, which frees you to go at your own pace. As you consider how to start or improve upon a meaningful devotional time for your family, you may want to divide responsibilities among family members, set a regular start and end time, and be sure to encourage discussion. The ideas above can help, but the most essential ingredient is commitment. What’s to gain? A deep spiritual understanding, a strong sense of family, a Biblical moral compass, and eternity, of course. Y Cathy Haynie and her husband, Jack, have three children and live in Madison. Cathy is the Headmaster of Christ Covenant School in Ridgeland. She occasionally speaks to women’s groups on Honoring God in the Home and Balancing Work and Home. Contact her at chaynie@christcovenantschool.net

Plan an outing to the

Nichols-Boyd Pumpkin Patch! 3970 Highway 43 North Upper End of Reservoir on Hwy 43 www.nicholsenterprisesllc.com

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farm animals fall decor items corn maze cookouts picnics are pre-scheduled * Visits Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.

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Phone: 601.829.0800 Fax: 601.829.0900 E-mail: nichtrees@aol.com

metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 13

➺marketplace matters by LYDIA ALISON

WAYS

5to Be a Fun Fan F

all is here and that means we all get to cool down a bit and experience leaves changing colors, eating pumpkin pie and drinking spiced cider. It’s also a busy

time because our kids are lacing up their cleats again and we’re heading to sporting events such as football and soccer games. Although it’s fun to be involved in sports with our kids, sometimes as parents, we become more involved than we should be. I say this pointing a finger back at myself!

{

}

Here are some questions we need to ask ourselves and some answers we need to be reminded of as we participate in our kids’ sports.

Do you argue with your child’s coach? If you need to say something to your child’s coach, don’t attack him or her or come with accusations. Use a neutral tone of voice, and try to communicate as respectfully as possible while getting your point across.

1

children’s talents are, and help them pursue them. Not everyone will be a Tim Tebow. But hey, we need kids who will grow up to be the next Bill Gates too!

Do you make critical remarks about kids’ mistakes during the game? Remember that your child will sometimes make mistakes in the game. How would you feel if you heard other parents criticizing your child’s performance? Remember what we all learned in kindergarten: If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

The most obvious question—Are you a good sport? Do you yell at or argue with the referee? Be aware that your child is watching your every move. Allow your child to respect you as they see you accepting a call from the referee that you might not agree with. Cursing and fiery tempers are absolutely inappropriate and set a terrible example for your child. Always congratulate the other team and their parents. Thank them for coming to the game if it’s on your home turf.

2

If you’re the coach of your child’s team, do you show favoritism? Do you place your child in the most desirable position? Is your child the first and only one that you nominate to be on an all-star team? Pray and try with all your heart to be fair and objective. Your bias will show through, and the kids you are coaching, as well as their parents, will lose respect for you.

3

Do you get upset with your child because they aren’t as athletically gifted as you wish? Every person God made on this earth has been given special gifts and talents. If your heart is broken because your child struggles at athletics, step back and find out what your

4

5

The saying “The apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree” is really true when it comes to sportsmanship. Let’s make our children’s experience with sports fun, while teaching valuable life lessons along the way. Remember, mind your manners! Y

Lydia Allison is a wife and mother of three children. She is a speaker and teaches manners and business etiquette to children and adults in Mississippi and the Southeast. You may contact her at lallison@marketplacemanners.com and visit www.marketplacemanners.com

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14 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

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metrochristianliving.com â?˜ OCTOBER 2010 15

fresh finds by ASHLEY CIRILLI Photos by CHRISTI B. STECKEL

April Showers Soap Vickie Gilbert Window Art

The Greater Belhaven Market There’s another reason to be glad about saying buh-bye to the humid summer heat and hello to fall. Take a stroll around the market and find Mississippi-grown produce, fresh baked goods and unique hand-crafted items. The market runs through December 18 and is currently open Thursdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 929 High Street, adjacent to the Fairgrounds.

Flours By Chris

Claude Jones Pickled Vegetables

Seasonal pumpkins and fresh produce

Bill & Mary Ann Averitt Pure Honey

Wyne Chymes

Friends of Uganda hand-made gifts

The Birdhouse Man Wood Do it Again recycled furniture metrochristianliving.com â?˜ OCTOBER 2010 17

➺this is my story by MARILYN TINNIN

DR. THOMAS WILEY

D

Finds Healing Through Writing

Dr. Thomas Wiley didn’t set out to be a writer. For more than twenty years his obstetrical and gynecological practice kept his schedule packed and his leisure time minimal. Add in his wife Merrie, their four children and church and school activities, and it’s easy to see why he didn’t feel the writing bug bite until mid-life. But a seed was planted on 9/11 that eventually got his pen to the paper. Thomas and Merrie were on vacation in Egypt when news reached their cruise ship that America was under siege. What was happening at home didn’t completely sink in for the couple. They continued with their trip for a few more days until having dinner with an old high school friend who was working for the U.S. Embassy in Cairo. The friend was quite concerned and ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. The couple realized the situation was far more critical than they had thought, so they packed up and headed to the airport with hopes planes would fly somewhere, anywhere just to get them out of the middle of the Islamic world. Unable to find a plane heading to the U.S. from Cairo, the Wileys managed to get two tickets to London immediately. Miraculously, they were in London only two hours before they were on a flight to Washington, D.C. Their 15-hour journey from the other side of the world during a tumultuous historical event felt like a miracle. But their relief felt by touching American soil was short-lived. They had barely put their heads on their pillows before receiving a phone call from their daughter-in-law. Tom, their 26-year-old son, had died of a heart attack. As a physician, Thomas Wiley had felt the weight of death many times in his career, but the grief that came with losing his oldest child was unbearable. Through the weeks and months that followed, his emotions took him through stages of grief. It was his faith and the support of his wife that kept him putting one foot in front of the other. “A strange thing happened as my grief began to mature,” says Wiley. He began to think about writing about his grief with a desire to help others in similar situations. He began to write several times but didn’t get very far. Most everything

he had learned had been written in self-help books before. Four years passed until one afternoon, Thomas and Merrie drove to an old church cemetery in an obscure area of Lauderdale County, where many of Merrie’s family members had been buried. Thomas was intrigued as he looked around the family plot and counted seven small baby markers side by side. It struck him as odd that no two babies were alive at the same time, that not even one lived to be the age of two, and that over twenty years, this family’s history continued to repeat itself. “Over the next few weeks, I could not get those babies out of my mind,” he says. “Were these deaths innocent, or was there something sinister buried in that cemetery?” Wiley began to think what a good mystery this might be, and the story became his first published work, The Angels of Lockhart. “I thought this could be a way to explore my own thoughts about death, grief and loss of a child but in a different way,” he says. With his second book, The Telegrapher, released in July, Wiley is just getting warmed up. As in his previous book, The Angels of Lockhart, the story is set in small-town Mississippi. The Telegrapher tells the story of a childhood prank gone awry. When the prank takes young Ollie Parker’s arm, he is forced to decide how he will adapt to a challenge that will alter his life forever. Although his handicap limits him, it does not keep him from becoming an expert telegrapher. During that time, the telegraph was the telephone, the cell phone, e-mail and Twitter! Over a period of about fifty years, readers see Ollie face a number of obstacles with an untiring faith in God. The story is a page turner, and its themes are timeless and true. The story proves that with all of the disappointments and broken dreams that disrupt our lives, God’s over-arching plan is packed with blessings, and that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Writing these stories has been a catharsis for Wiley in many ways. “It’s a statement of my faith that God is ultimately in control,” he says. Y The Telegrapher and The Angels of Lockhart (2007) are available at Lemuria, all major bookstores, Amazon and at www.monarchpublishinghouse.com

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18 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Q&A with DR. SCOTT RUNNELS

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Breast Cancer RECOVERY & RECONSTRUCTION Editor’s note: As a Breast Cancer survivor of almost five years, I found that accepting the “C� word was just the beginning. There are immediate decisions to be made regarding surgery, treatment, and whether to go through the reconstruction process. Dr. Scott Runnels, MD, FACS sheds light on the recovery process and patient options.

delayed or improper wound healing. Risks specifically associated with the reconstruction involve the type of reconstruction performed. Implants may be extruded due to poor wound healing or become infected and have to be removed. Others may simply become malpositioned. Reconstruction using the body’s own tissue, whether muscle or fat, may not heal or may have very poor blood and oxygen supply making the breast unnatural feeling or irregular in shape.

MCL: What determines whether someone is a candidate for breast reconstruction? Dr. Runnels: While most women undergoing mastectomy are candidates, breast reconstruction is not for everyone. Reconstruction requires general anesthesia and may not be advised for women who are not in good health and able to withstand the additional surgical or anesthesia time that is required to reconstruct the breast.

MCL: What are the down-time and the recovery time? Dr. Runnels: Generally, it’s 4-6 weeks depending on the type of reconstruction. It may take a few weeks longer for full mobility and resolution of any swelling or bruising.

MCL: What are the options in the different types of reconstruction? Dr. Runnels: There are a number of different ways to reconstruct the breast. Remember, we are trying to reconstruct the natural size, shape, and feel of the breast. What type of reconstruction is best depends on a number of factors determined largely by the patient’s age, body habitus, activity level, health, and expectations. It is possible to reconstruct the breast with an implant, your own body tissue, or a combination of both. MCL: Why do some have immediate reconstruction and some patients have to wait months? Dr. Runnels: Some women simply choose to delay reconstruction. Others, because of the uncertainty of diagnosis or stage of the disease and possibly requiring chemotherapy or radiation treatments may be better served to wait until after they have fully healed from the cancer treatments. MCL: What possible potential problems are involved in breast reconstruction? Dr. Runnels: While complication rates with reconstruction are very low in healthy individuals who do not smoke, there are risks as with any surgery. Most of these also go along with having a mastectomy as well as the risk of infection, bleeding into the surgical wound after surgery and

Apple Annie’s

MCL: After mastectomy, what should and can I do to build my upper body strength again? Dr. Runnels: I begin with physical therapy after the initial phase of healing, usually 3-4 weeks after surgery. I particularly like the idea of passive range of motion where either a therapist or pulley system moves the arm. This is important in the early stage to increase motion and prevent undue strain on the smaller muscles of the shoulder. Around 6-8 weeks post-op, we then progress to strengthening exercises for the back, shoulder, and arm muscles to completely rehabilitate the upper body. MCL: Will an implant mask a recurrence of breast cancer should it come back? Dr. Runnels: While anything is possible, recurrent cancers after mastectomy recur locally on the mastectomy incision, chest wall, or in the axilla and are generally not masked by an implant. Most important are regular physician exams after surgery along with body scans when appropriate. These are current surveillance recommendations and are either performed quarterly, semi-annually, or yearly to detect any early sign of a recurrent cancer. Y Dr. Scott Runnels is a plastic surgeon board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. For more information about breast reconstruction and other services call 601-939-9778 or visit www.runnelscenter.com

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Faith in in Action Faith ACTION

Believers following God in BIG ways by ASHLEY CIRILLI

H

ave you ever felt a tug on your heart to do something or go somewhere only to dismiss it because you might have felt too afraid? God has a unique plan and purpose for each of us and desires we use what He has given us for His glory. These believers followed their hearts and are now living brave lives for the Lord in ways that they never imagined.

t. I that God was worthy of my whole hear lover a to went from being a believer of God his over n give has er, play ball heart base l ’s ona God professi of God, and the things that break and lead blish esta help to d Lor on the sing focu from gifts began to break mine. Instead of athletic his es shar he re whe es of istri full ld Min te wor a Igni my problems, I began to see lives of leading skills and love for Jesus to change the hurting and lost people. God began rs know othe help children and teens. to me to use my athletic gift wlkno and ces rien ity Him better. My past expe a on took Life Before: I attended Tulane Univers enly sudd er edge as a baseball play with the on a baseball scholarship and played new life. pitcher Baltimore Orioles organization as a ces fullis before beginning to sell medical devi Walking the Walk: Along with Chr fulfillment. ing miss was life my a t star ed help time. Spiritually, I um, Kell is but I was Snopek and Chr d Ignite I felt that God wanted more from me, local Christian Sports Ministry calle s statu l itua spir the nd beyo e mov speaking not willing to Ministries. We are using concerts, going “all ps to cam and quo. Honestly, I was afraid of what ics clin ts spor , ents re engagem awa e mor me beca I as But me. cost in” would reach kids with two things—athletic re to honor s of Jesus’ love for me, I felt the desi instructions and the message of Jesu ey and talmon , time my with fully e take ts mor Him Christ. All Ignite Ministries’ even church. ents. place in between work, family and istries Min te on Igni ever For more information call Hearing the Call: I had been a beli or camp.com ng a retreat www.ignitesports since I was eight years old, but duri 6. -579 -238 601 n. I saw in October 2001, God got my attentio

Todd Dyess, previously a college and

God touched Barbara Binkley’s heart on a mission trip with her chu rch in Kenya. As she fell in love with the people she met in East Africa, a meeting only God could orchestrate would change the rest of her life.

Life Before: About two years before I retired early from my job in operations at a global CPA firm, I began praying for God to use me in His service. I truly wanted to do som ething with Kingdom, eternal value. I began getting my house and finances in order so that I could be more accessible to His will for my life.

Barbara Binkley 20 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

Hearing the Call: I had been on numerous foreign mission trips, but God truly grabbed my heart on a

Todd Dyess

trip to Kenya with my church in June . Our entire team fell in love with the nom adic, desert people of East Africa. I was privileged to be a part of a team teaching hygiene and sanitation. Since the nati ve women spend most of their day sear ching for and drawing water for their surv ival, we were able to present the story of John 4 and the Woman at the Well.

Wa

lking the Walk: I will be returning to East Africa very soon, taking donated funds to purchase soap and water con tainers for the native tribes, along with God’s love. For this trip, I leave early Oct ober and return just before Thanksgiving, and then I’ll leave again in the spring for a few months. I plan to make a few trips each year, staying months at a time.

fortable The Clark’s life is going from com and their lives r thei up to very cozy as they open with a ily fam ican Mex a home to the Romano’s, ted Uni the in life er prayer to God for a bett has been States. They share Hebrews 12:20-21 ily. fam r thei for nt an encourageme

Life Before: Our family went on a mis-

having a sion trip to Cancun, Mexico in July not the had clue what God had planned for us. We ship tion opportunity to meet and begin a rela anos began with a family from Mexico. The Ram ing that pray to share with us that they had been move to nity God would give them an opportu edueved beli to the United States, where they ter. grea e wer e thriv cation and opportunities to

Hearing the Call: Once we returned

ed in touch home from our mission trip, we stay become had that rs slato with several of the tran ts to a hear our ing align n our friends. God bega gbrin of part a be ally actu d point that we coul that so try coun our to ily fam ul ing this wonderf spoke to their prayers would be answered. He ing a way us, each separately, that He was mak

ily for them to become a part of our fam and because we had plenty of room would love to share the extra space. After many conversations with the Ramanos, we told them we were willing to open our home to them and that they could live with us as long as they needed to in order to get established in Mississippi.

Walking the Walk: The two

youngest siblings, Axel and Jordi have arrived and are living with us now. They are currently enrolled at Northwest Rankin High School and are beginning to become involved in the youth group at our church. Their parents, Armando and Cristina, along with the two older siblings, Tania and Levi, are still waiting on the proper paperwork to process in order for them to make the move. As soon as they are cleared, our new blended family will finally feel complete. Y

Ronnie and Ashley Cl ark

Our Inspiration…Eaker’s Next Song Eaker survived cancer of the larynx thanks to St. Dominic’s Cancer Services. Inspiring us all, Eaker – silenced by cancer during his fight – has returned to his church to lead his choir. For more information about our Cancer Services call 601-200-3300 or visit stdom.com for more inspirational patient stories.

“I’m going back to my church and I’m going to sing and shout!” EAKER WASHINGTON Bolton, MS

EAKER’s TEAM: Al Johnson, MD, Guangzhi Qu, MD and the Cancer Center Staff

Skilled Hands. Compassionate Hearts. metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 21

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Ellie and Katie Grace Peterson enjoying their Habitat Hideaways Playhouse from 2007.

A Playhouse For Your Play Pals! You could win this year’s Habitat Hideaways Playhouse, designed by Eley Guild Hardy Architects of Jackson. The winner of the Habitat Hideaways Playhouse will be announced Sunday, Dec 5.– just in time for Christmas! Proceeds will help families move out of proverty housing into decent, affordable homes.

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Luke Peterson thinks the Habitat Hideaways Playhouse is a ball!

Adult. Graduate. Online Programs.

22 OCTOBER 2010 â?˜ Metro Christian Living

To see where the Habitat Hideaways Playhouse will be on display or to purchase your tickets at our secure website, visit www.habitatjackson.org.

by JENNIFER HEGGIE

➺

let’s talk it over

Learning and Loving in a Blended Family

A

As the familiar hit TV theme song goes, “Here’s the story of a lovely

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lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls…Here’s the story, of a man named Brady, who was busy with three boys of his own…’Till the one day when the lady met this fellow and they knew that it was much more than a hunch, that this group would somehow form a family. That’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch.”

One of the biggest challenges blended families face is establishing trust from all parties.

} The Brady Bunch was one of my favorite TV shows growing up. Little did I know, it was created by Sherwood Schwartz in 1965 after he read an article in the Los Angeles Times that said 40 percent of marriages in the United States had a child or children from a previous marriage. Statistics now show at least one-third of all children in the United States will be part of a blended family before they reach age 18. The blended family has become synonymous with a wicked stepparent or stepsiblings. For instance, in the popular Disney movie Cinderella, Cinderella is initially made a servant in her own home and is constantly derided by her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. However, her Fairy Godmother appears and restores hope. We all wish we could have a Fairy Godmother who could restore hope to us, but we have something even greater, God. There is hope for all blended families to survive and grow through prayer and faith in God. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.” Most blended families are able to work out

their growing pains successfully. It requires open communication, positive attitudes, respect, love and patience from everyone. One of the biggest challenges blended families face is establishing trust from all parties. Setting clear boundaries is one of the first steps to establishing trust. Parents need to discuss the role each stepparent will have when it comes to disciplining the children, chores and even allowances. This will help with establishing trust since everyone is on the same page. Another way to establish trust is by allowing access to both biological parents. It is important for all parents to be involved in their children’s lives and work toward parenting together, not against each other. The most important thing when establishing trust is to never talk negatively about a child’s parent in front of them. Ephesians 4:29, 31-32, says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgive one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Communicating often and openly creates fewer opportunities for misunderstanding and more opportunities to establish trust. Blended families should listen respectfully to each other, address conflict in a healthy way, do things together and show appropriate affection to one another. It is important for couples to make time for themselves to keep a strong marital bond. This will ultimately benefit everyone, including the children. After exhausting all of your best efforts, and your blended family is still not getting along, it might be time to seek counseling. Remember in blended families you have to be realistic, limit your expectations of each other and most importantly and be patient. “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2 Y

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Jennifer Heggie is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor at Summit Counseling. metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 23

➺welcome home SPIC and SPAN L by MARILYN TINNIN

et’s face it, working moms, busy families and extracurricular activities leave little time for frequent top-to-bottom cleaning. A sparkling home may not be the number one priority of life, but disorder has its own consequences, and they aren’t good. Maybe it’s time to consider a cleaning service, one that is worth every cent, one with standards that just might be even higher than your own. Charlene Cooper, owner of Starlight Cleaning Service, is a Navy veteran, a former U.S. Postal Service employee and a single mother of two. Four years ago she was frustrated with her irregular hours at the post office. Sometimes she was assigned a day shift and sometimes a night shift. She was growing tired of trying to find good consistent childcare, and both children were exhibiting signs of separation anxiety. They missed their mother as much as she missed them. After several months of prayer and soul-searching, Charlene felt God assuring her that He would be with her if she would just step out in faith. With her life savings and a certainty that

God was indeed in charge of this entrepreneurial adventure, she launched Starlight professional cleaning service. “Star” is symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem that led the shepherds and the wise men to Jesus, who is the “light” of the world. It has been Charlene’s commitment since the beginning that her work would glorify God. “It’s more than cleaning to me,” she says. “I want the Lord to be pleased with our work.” Little by little, Charlene has watched God’s blessing flow. She now employs two crews who arrive on site with their own cleaning supplies and tailor each cleaning job to “whatever is needed.” She says excellence is their stanCharlene Cooper dard, and nothing less will do. Licensed, bonded and insured, Starlight Cleaning Services can be reached at 601-662-1557 or visit their Web site at www.starlightmaidservices.com Y

Ceiling-to-floor cleaning includes: Ceiling fans, chandeliers, light fixtures, baseboards, lampshades, appliances polished, towel bars, faucets polished, behind and beneath furniture, all upholstered items and carpet vacuumed, appropriate care for every surface in your home or office.

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Standing, L-R: Donna G. Breeland, M.D.; Natasha N. Hardeman, M.D.; Shani K. Meck, M.D.; Freda McKissic Bush, M.D. Seated, L-R: Mary W. (Katie) Sartin, CFNP; Temeka L. Johnson, M.D.; Missy Jackson McMinn, M.D; Rhonda Sullivan-Ford, M.D.; Sharon K. Brown, CFNP Beverly A. McMillan, M.D., Emeritus

24 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

money talks by J. RANDALL MASCAGNI, MBA, CFP®

Teaching Our Kids THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR

W

e’ve all know the importance of teaching to teach our children the basics of money and finances…balancing a checkbook, saving, risks of credit cards, value of investing, etc. But in this article let’s look

at a “non-typical” list of God’s very important financial principles that every young person needs to learn.

The Dangers of Debt Today people are encouraged to spend money at a very young age, and credit cards are handed out like candy. If bad spending habits start early, it’s not unusual for a student to have thousands of dollars or more in credit card debt shortly after college graduation. We start to hear people say, “it seems like I can’t get ahead” or “it seems like I have holes in my pocket”. (See Proverbs 22:7) Overspending and debt accumulation can keep a person from giving their “tithes and offerings” like God calls us to do. The outcome can be a materialistic lifestyle that competes with Christ for the lordship of our life. Help by teaching your children the difference in wants and needs, develop a budget and review it periodically, teach them what God says about finances and pray with them as they make even the simplest financial decisions. Prayer and waiting on the Lord’s timing can prevent mistakes and create opportunities for growth.

What Money Can’t Buy We all use money to purchase the necessities of life such as food, shelter and clothing. Then we all have our list of desires. It’s vital for a young person to understand that money can’t provide true joy, contentment and especially their salvation. By encouraging your children to give some of their money to eternal purposes, their lives can be enriched and less selffocused.

More Blessed to Give Than to Receive We’ve all know givers, and we all know takers, but God commands us all to give. Teach how God owns everything (Psalm 24:1), that we are only stewards of what He provides (1 Corinthians. 4:2), that He does provide for our needs (Matthew 6:33) and that God blesses us through helping others (2 Corinthians 9:8-10). Also, use this as an opportunity to teach God’s principles of tithing by encouraging your children to tithe from what they receive (See 2 Corinthians 9:7 and Proverbs 3:9). You can teach the difference in God’s economy and the world’s through scripture. Understanding this principle early can provide benefits now and later in life, and create a financial foundation for young individuals.

Where It Comes From We are called to work (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11), but it’s important that young people learn that God provides the blessing (Psalm 75:6). Additionally, teach that God can even bless us when we rest (Psalms 127:2). These principles can help your children in additional ways, such as dealing with anxiety and worry. Some young people today feel entitled to wealth and/or possessions. Start helping your young person practice of hard work, saving and giving. And remember, they can learn better through seeing these principles lived out in your life! Watching parents implement Godly principles at home is the best start. Y Mascagni & Company, Inc. — A Registered Investment Advisory Firm 205 E. Main Street Clinton, (601) 925-809. www.mascagnicompany.com J. Randall Mascagni, MBA, CFP® is President of Mascagni & Company, Inc., Financial and Investment Advisor contact him at randy@mascagni.com

Imagine Behavioral Health Structured Specialty Programs (IOP) for Adolescents and Young Adults We work with young people and their families experiencing severe distress as a result of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, anger and other destructive behaviors. All of our services are performed or supervised by board certified psychiatrists and master’s level clinicians. We accept private insurance and provide scholarships to those in need.

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(601) 982-5376 • www.imagineiop.com metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 25

The Kwasny Krew Life is in Session by CHRISTI B. STECKEL

I

t’s Friday morning at the Kwasny household. The scent of baked goods is in the air and chatter can be heard throughout the house.

Five-month-old Andrew is sitting in his bouncy seat, jumping his hiccups away as his seven siblings work together at the large oak table making beaded bracelets for the Child Evangelism Fellowship. Mom and Dad, Martie and John delegate and deliberate, stealing smiles from one another as they play parent, house manager, counselor, chef, friend and teacher to their eight children who range in age from four months to seventeen years old. Tonight is pizza and movie night, and Martie plans to bake the deep-dish pizza her Chicago-native husband loves. Married almost twenty years, Martie and John fell in love in the classroom. In the early days of

26 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

their friendship studying at Regent University, they felt an immediate connection. They were both mission-minded, loved traveling and related on issues of the heart. Martie graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in Education (Severe and Profound), and John earned a bachelors of Psychology Oral Roberts University. At Regent they both worked towards their Masters in Counseling, and Martie says it didn’t take long for John to mess up the good friendship. A year and a half after meeting, they flew to Martie’s hometown of Baton Rouge for a Friday night wedding before she had to return for exams on Tuesday. This dynamic duo hasn’t stopped since.

Early Education Growing up near Chicago with three siblings and parents who were teachers, John placed edu-

cation high on his list. He found his form of competitiveness in the classroom, seeking achievements and honors along the way, including receiving his PhD in Christian Education from Trinity Theological Seminary, but he never considered education to be his calling until the Lord began to reveal his plan. “I didn’t think necessarily I would go on to be a teacher, but it was a natural fit,” John says. “After grad school, doing some counseling and then getting back into the church, I really thought ‘okay I like Christian education, and now I have gotten into curriculum writing.’ I look back to my parents and they were a high influence of gifting and teaching the importance of education.” For Martie, her influence for education and special needs came in junior high. The school held a Christmas Card pageant, but the homeroom classroom for students with disabilities was not allowed to participate. Debbie Forbs, a student in that class, wanted to be queen and Martie and her twin sister Myra believed her. They put their family printing business to work by creating ads and posters and fought for Debbie to be included. Not only did the special needs classroom get to participate for the first time, Debbie won the pageant! “God really used that [experience] to grow my passion,” says Martie. “I began asking, how can they (special needs students) be taught and how can I be a part of it?”

Those questions have been answered over and over as Martie continues to pursue her passion for counseling families with special needs children and with the urging of her husband, helping to create the Sonbeams ministry at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church. As the Director of Special Needs Ministry, Martie’s primary goal is to encourage the body of Christ to get involved. “The Lord has really equipped us all to do that and change our hearts towards this ministry and create awareness,” Martie says. “My role is to continue the awareness, educate the families and community outreach.” Through an event such as Sonbeams Night Out that is held every other month, parents get a free Friday night out as their children participate in fun activities. Since it first began four years ago, the ministry has grown from 15 children to 90-115 adults and children. John shares that the night serves multiple purposes. “The two-fold intention is to give parents rest, give them a night out and to also recognize that statistically 85-90 percent of special needs families that want to come to church don’t have a church home because they don’t feel welcome and feel as though they don’t have anything for their child,” he says.”We offer that every other month and each year try to come up with different ways to reach out and work together with other churches.” One way of bringing churches together is the Jackson branch of the Joni and Friends, a national organization started by Joni Tada after a diving accident left her a quadriplegic. The ministry provides families and local churches resources for members with disabilities. Currently, Martie serves as the Chairman of the Executive Committee supporting the local team of volunteers and staff, “Joni and Friends connects our churches quarterly to collaborate on events, provide calendar information through their Web site, as well as resources and education. They are here

Learn it. Love it. Live it. Teach it. – That’s the Kwasny Motto

to ‘come along the side of’ churches in our community and state to get involved with families touched by special needs.”

One Story As the Director of Christian Education and Children’s Ministries at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church, John seeks to grow the body of Christ through addition and education. “When I first came to Pear Orchard five years ago, it was funny for them to interview a man for a children’s ministry director, that’s not typically traditional, even my wife laughed at that,” John recalls. But all jokes aside, John is serious about his purpose and position. Last October John and members of the church started One Story Ministries, a curriculum publishing arm of Pear Orchard that provides resource tools for churches. John’s personal contribution is a comprehensive Sunday school curriculum for kindergarten thru sixth grade that takes children through every book of the Bible. John shares, “Several years ago nationally recognized George Barna did a study of all the Bible curriculum available and concluded children are taught the same thirty stories repeatedly. Kids only know the big stories, and it’s not a surprise adults come to me saying we don’t know the Bible.” John has found a way to fill this void by creating curriculum that is like an ongo-

ily traveled in the Kwasny fam For eight years ’s twin sister Myra and her RV’s with Martie l Penn to 44 states until they husband Michaeand space! ran out of time

metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 27

Word” curriculum to other churches, hoping to get 10 on board in 2010, and by the end of August, 11 churches had gotten involved. Now this fall, five volumes of “Investigating God’s Word at Home” will be released for families to use with their children at home as a Bible teaching tool. “What I love most about the curriculum that John writes is the scripture application,” says Martie. “It really teaches our children, our families and our churches how to apply God’s word to everyday life. Application is woven throughout the material, and as a teacher, it is really easy to teach.”

Class is in Session ere ntures wh tion adve ca rld u o d W e y d e in Disn “We wante interested uch as m as ’t as n e re e se we w . Let’s ent parks .” or amusem country as we can e th f o ry to his

ing conversation with the teacher and student. It is highly interactive and inclusive, taking students through the less common books of Ezra, Ecclesiastes, and by first grade they have worked their way through Leviticus. Seeing a growing need for this material, One Story Ministries released the “Investigating God’s

A day in the life of the Kwasny 10 *subject to change at any moment!

By Martie Kwasny 5:00 AM Alarms go off. Older kids have quiet time with their Bible. Mom feeds baby. 5:45 AM Older kids start math. Dad wakes up. 6:00 AM Dad checks math for older kids and teaching math to younger kids. Some tears are shed. Mom has quiet time with her coffee. 6:45 AM All kids work on grammar and vocabulary. Dad continues teaching and checking work. 7:00 AM Victora starts breakfast (sometimes Mom makes biscuits—everyone’s favorite). Emmalyne makes Dad’s lunch. John Charles and Nathanael collect all garbage and take it out. Dad and Mom talk about their day as Dad irons his clothes. 7:20 AM Breakfast 7:40 AM Dad leaves for work. Children clean up breakfast dishes, make beds and finish getting dressed. Katherine and John Charles start the laundry. 7:50 AM Mom starts teaching the younger children while the older kids work independently. Olivia takes care of the baby and puts on bread dough for the day. John Charles and 28 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

And she would know, as she teaches seven children from home. With help from John, class starts at 6 a.m. with math and reading (yes, six in the morning). Meeting eight different needs and objectives is a challenge, but one that Martie feels the Lord has prepared her for. “Working in special education for seven years taught me to juggle and to access each need. I had no idea what God was doing, but it really was a stepping stone to home schooling,” explains Martie. “Initially, I was trained ‘you don’t teach your own kids’, and it took me about five years to decide we can do this, we really needed to homeschool. I was surprised how the Lord had prepared me through special-ed because each child has an objective we’re working on (an IEP) con-

Nathanael begin to say they’re hungry. 9:30 AM Mom feeds the baby. Mom and Alex go for a 3-mile run. Mom tells the boys that they can have an apple at 10 a.m. and that she will take them for a bike ride this afternoon. 10:00 AM Kids take a snack break. Mom returns e-mails and works on Sonbeams Ministry. Dad calls to check in. Olivia keeps the laundry going and everyone straightens the house again. 10:30 AM School time again. Mom rotates through the coursework of seven children (all at different levels). Andrew takes a nap. We’ve had several “spankings” by now. 12:00 Noon Alex begins making lunch. Other girls pitch in on laundry, setting table and other chores. John Charles and Nathanael pick up their room after a toy gunfight. 12:30 PM Lunch and clean up. 1:00 PM Back to school. Knock at the door and everyone yells to say hello to Mrs. Jeanie has come by to help teach and read for the afternoon. 1:30 PM John Charles and Nathanael finish school and are already hungry. They are sent outside to pick up sticks then play. Mom feeds the baby. The kids grab Mrs. Jeanie a Coke (we want to keep her happy). 2:00 PM Snack time. Andrew takes another nap. We are trying to keep the boys busy! One of the older girls takes the boys for a ride on their bikes.

stantly, and they’re all different.” Combining his professional expertise into his personal experiences, John studies how and what his family studies. They use scripture daily in the classroom to teach a Christian worldview that gets their children to look at life, relationships, work, studies and family through a biblical lens. In both his written curriculum and in his home, understanding what a child is learning and why they are learning it have equal importance. “We know in education it’s not just about learning more stuff and more information, it’s about becoming changed people. It’s growing in love for God and love for others, and I think that’s what sets Christian education apart from others,” says John. “We’re not just training children so they’re functional members of society, so they can get a job one day, it’s so they become members of God’s kingdom and learn to live in this life as salt and light.”

Simplification by Multiplication The eight children are different and distinct, each with a variety of interests and family roles. Seventeen-year-old Victoria is the organizer, fifteen-year-old Alexandra is the chef, thirteen-yearold Emmalyne is the baker, ten-year-old Olivia is serious-minded and loves to garden, eight-yearold Katherine is the resident tomboy, six-year-old John Charles and five-year-old Nathanael are both great readers with a growing interest in

2:15 PM School continues. We all work hard to complete our work for Daddy to check our charts. Often we make a dessert for Daddy. 3:00 PM Mom continues to wear her “counseling cap,” taking various calls and occasionally meets people over coffee. Alex waits to use the computer to complete an assignment or to do Spanish (the computer is always occupied!) 4:00 PM Straighten house for the third time. Boys want it to be Friday so that they can play the “Wii.” The boys are hungry again! 4:30 PM Alex and Victoria begin making dinner. 4:45 PM Dad gets home. He checks the schoolwork. Reading comprehension questions are asked and charts are checked. 5:30 PM Dinner 6:10 PM Dinner cleanup 6:15 PM Dad finishes checking schoolwork. 7:00 PM All 10 and under children go to bed (Katherine pleads to have her bed time extended). Older children reading, watching TV or just hanging out. Dad and mom talking. 8:00 PM All 13 and under children go to bed. Alex and Victoria take care of Andrew and finish studying or work. Dad works on his laptop. Mom reads, returns e-mails or works on Sonbeams. 10:00 PM The rest of the Kwasnys go to bed. Mom and Dad pray that Andrew sleeps through the night!

sports and Wii games, and the youngest, Andrew is a pleasant surprise. Their days have quite the variety; in the same day Alexandra is learning to drive a car, Nathanael is learning to ride his bike. Although, John and Martie admit they are in a stage of “dog-paddling,” they realized early on they had to simplify. “We had to make good priority decisions,” John says. “Simple things like if we had every kid in a sport— we would be out every night at every field, going in a hundred different directions. So we had to decide early we’re not going to do all these activities, our main focuses will be church activities and home activities.” The family of ten is very close, as in the five girls sleep in the same room, and the three boys bunk up next door in another bedroom. “They are learning the lessons of relationships so early and extensively, of how truly to get along and not wall yourselves off,” John says. “You have to participate and share and learn how messy relationships are.” However, Martie doesn’t mind when things get messy as long as they get cleaned up. She loves working on projects with her girls, baking cakes, cooking and sewing numerous items for around the house. “The joy of the big family is that everyone must contribute, pitch in, everyone has to learn to cook, clean and take care of the baby and younger ones,” Martie says. “It changes the dynamic of the home. Everything can’t be mom or dad, it requires teamwork.”With the daily home-school schedule the “students” are able to

combine book-work and life throughout the day, learning basic life skills and becoming self-directed learners building responsibility and accountability—a principle of Christian education that encourages children to learn how to learn. The Kwasnys know every day isn’t perfect. There is a lot of discipline and forgiveness along the way, even surprises like they experienced when at 44, Martie became pregnant. They remember it being a challenging time, but a time when they knew it wasn’t about them. “It’s very easy to sit back and say ‘I know the Lord is in control and he’s the giver of life,’ and yet it challenges you,” John says. With the constant parenting, they often get asked when they find time for themselves, but they claim they do because they’re not running from place to place, looking for entertainment for their kids or finding themselves involved in the busyness of life. As John witnesses, the pace of life increases, while time as a family decreases, “I don’t think parents are slowing down enough to have conversations with their children. It’s not just figuring out how to discipline them, it’s actually talking with them, talk to their hearts; understand and dig deep into their souls.” As life continues on that Friday morning, dad helps tie bracelets, mom hopes to get a nap and conversations range from floral designs to forgiveness. The Kwasny home is a constant variety and life is always in session. Y

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In March I elected to have surgery after being diagnosed with fibroids. During the second week of my post-op recovery phase, I decided to gradually resume the level of physical activity that I was doing prior to surgery. My goal was to maintain a healthy weight, so I started walking around the neighborhood. I started out at about 30 minutes each day and built up to an hour very quickly. When I went for my six week post-op visit, I had lost weight! I thought, “This is insane! You mean I’ve lost weight without any type of strenuous workout or drastically cutting calories?� As much as I enjoy good food, cutting calories would be my last option in attempt to shedding pounds. Walking is not only good for the cardiovascular system, but it is also very relaxing. In addition to increasing my metabolism, I spend less time thinking about food and more time enjoying the beauty of the natural environment. I feel much healthier than I have felt in previous years. I high recommend at least 30 minutes of walking daily to all my patients interested in weight loss. It works! Y Teresa Polk MSN, RN FNP-BC is the founder of Get Healthy Medical Clinic located off Pear Orchard Road in Ridgeland. Call 601-321-9000 for more information.

Advice for Walking from the American Heart Association

1. 2.

GET READY: Layer loose clothing. Shoes specifically designed for exercise are best.

3.

INTENSITY: Walking hills is a great way to tone legs. The use of Nordic walking poles can boost the calorie-burning value of your walk while promoting good posture and overall muscle endurance.

4.

SAFETY: Listen to lively music while you walk to energize your workout, but keep the volume down and watch out for traffic. Wear light colors or reflective gear.

5.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS: If you experience foot, knee, hip or back pain when walking, STOP and check with your doctor to find out the cause. Don’t stop exercising altogether.

TECHNIQUE: Begin with short distances and breathe deeply. Start with a stroll that feels comfortable to you and gradually increase your time or distance each week. If you can’t converse or catch your breath while walking, slow down.

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30 OCTOBER 2010 â?˜ Metro Christian Living

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food for thought by LYDIA BOLEN

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An Autumn Dinner

ctober has finally arrived, bringing a promise of cooler weather. It’s the perfect time to have friends over for dinner and try new recipes to celebrate the freshness of fall. Marinated cheese has a stunning presentation for an appetizer with all its colors and tasty flavors. Julia Child’s Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken is simple but statement-making for a dinner party. And who can resist a warm Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream on a cool October evening?

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” – John 4:34

Marinated Cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1 (2 ounce) bottle diced pimento, drained 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons minced green onions 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (8 ounce) package cheddar cheese, cold 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold

In a jar with tight lid, combine the olive oil, wine vinegar, pimento, parsley, green onions, garlic, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Shake to blend. Set aside. Cut the block of cheddar cheese in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices to form squares. Repeat with cream cheese. Arrange cheese squares alternately in a shallow dish with slices standing on edge. You may arrange in a single long row or two parallel rows. Pour the marinade from the jar over the cheese slices, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours. To serve, move slices to a serving platter, so they are still in an alternating pattern. Spoon some of the marinade over the top. Serve with assorted crackers. Servings:16

Julia Child’s Herb, Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken 2 lemons, halved, juiced and halves reserved 1 onion sliced 4 sprigs thyme 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 sprigs rosemary 1/2 cup chicken broth 6 cloves garlic, crushed, unpeeled 2 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil ( I used olive oil) Salt and pepper as needed 2 bunches watercress, washed and dried 4-5 whole chicken (I like the organic, free/range) (can use fresh spinach)

In a large mixing bowl, add the lemons and juice, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Whisk together and add the chicken to the bowl. Turn chicken to coat on all sides. Fill the cavity with the contents in the bowl, and tie the legs together with a piece of string. Choose a heavy 9 x 13 baking dish, and add the onions to the bottom. Place the chicken in the baking dish, and pour over the rest of the liquid. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with salt. Place chicken in 400 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Move chicken to a plate and cover. Add the chicken stock to the baking dish. Add the walnut oil and whisk to combine. To serve, toss the watercress in a large bowl with half the hot sauce to wilt. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, and place on top of the watercress. Spoon remaining sauce.

Apple Crisps (Preheat oven to 350 degrees) FILLING: 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped small 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients for the filling together. Place into 7 or 8 ramekins.

TOPPING: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Mix the ingredients for the topping together. (Be sure the butter is blended into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps.) Sprinkle mixed topping over the filling.

Bake crisps for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Even more delicious when served with vanilla ice cream.

Remember to make memories through the kitchen…”the heartbeat of the home.” Email me at lbbolen@gmail.com for any questions, or go to my blog, www.lydiasapron.blogspot.com for more recipes. Y metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 31

➺let’s get real by ELLEN GABARDI

The Work of the Womb

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To receive life, to nurture and nourish life, to grow and expand as life grows, to protect life, and finally, to release life—it’s the work of the womb. The work is nearly the same for a mother. As mothers, our work is to receive, to nurture, protect and grow with our child’s needs. This work can be daunting, and we often feel as if we’re not capable. However, it’s the work of the feminine psyche, work that we are all prepared to do. Teachers, doctors and counselors are all well prepared, but being prepared for something doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easy. Life is filled with unexpected challenges, long nights and fears. Being a mother requires an abundance of all kinds of energy, emotional, physical and mental. Looking back, I see that all types of energy were needed at stages along the way. But I’ve noticed with a small child, a mother exert physical energy by carrying her child. When a child is school-age, she uses mental energy with

Being a mother requires an abundance of all kinds of energy, emotional, physical and mental.

At this time of year when many of our children have headed off to college, mothers might find themselves in a place of worrying, hoping and praying for their children. Now the mother is once again called to that most difficult work of the womb, the work of release. Just as childbirth itself requires endurance, strength and patience, so is releasing our children from the nest. I just wish it were easier and less painful. I’ve often heard it said, “The deeper the love, the deeper the pain.” Although we offer our hearts in abiding love, it still hurts. But through the tears of celebration and grief, we offer these words, “Alleluia! Amen! So be it, my child. I release you into your own life.” Y

homework, teaching the child to care for himself, transporting the child and organizing academic and extracurricular activities. With a teenager and young adult, a mother applies emotional energy, or spiritual energy. By this time, the child no longer requires carrying, and the child is doing most everything on his or her own.

Ellen Gabardi, mother of Lee, a college sophomore, and Ben, a high school senior, is a spiritual director with training from Shalem in Washington DC and from Millsaps’ Center for Ministry. She leads Prepare for Departure groups for mothers of seniors in high school. If you are interested in forming/joining a group, please contact her at cgabardi@aol.com.

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legal advice by WILLIAM B. HOWELL

A Precious Gift for Your Family (and yourself!)

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here are two situations that will likely leave your family in considerable pain and confusion. One of those is you passing away, and the other would be you becoming unable to make your own decisions perhaps because of a stroke, Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. You don’t have to be old (whatever that may mean) for either of these situations to apply to you. Think about how many funerals you have attended for those younger than you. Not a lot can be done to ease the pain arising from the loss, but you can do a lot to eliminate the confusion that your family will experience. It takes just a little planning while you are able and before something happens. There are many ways to go about your planning. The most popular is to do absolutely nothing, which the vast majority of adults in the United States choose. For those people who truly care about their family and want to be proactive, there are two kinds of planning: death-planning and life-planning. Most people choose death-planning, not because they want to, but because that’s all they’ve heard about. They use things such as a

Last Will and Testament, life insurance beneficiary designations, joint tenants with rights of survivorship or P. O. D. All these take effect when you die and only when you die. With a will there comes court, and what you seek to do with lifeplanning is eliminate having a court involved and put a person of your choice in charge, such as your spouse, an adult child or a sibling. Most of us would like to protect our family’s privacy, not because we’ve got something to hide but because we are private people. Unfortunately, court proceedings are public, and for a good reason. This prevents “secret dealings” that could prove harmful. But when your estate goes through court, you have to sacrifice your privacy for that protection. You can easily stay out of court. That’s where a Living Trust estate plan comes in with no court, no loss of privacy, no extended delay and no large expense. Another frequent problem is the power of attorney difficulty. In most states no one is required by law to honor a power of attorney for business, and they are frequently not honored. The result is a big problem. Again, your family will have to go to court for a conservatorship in

order to get the authority they need to handle your affairs. This confusion is eliminated with a Living Trust. All life planning should include an advance healthcare directive and a written HIPAA authorization to allow your family to speak with the doctor who is treating you when you cannot speak for yourself. There is no doubt that your family will see that you receive care. The question is, will their authority to act for you come through the court or outside of court using the documents and authority only you can give them right now? Make it easy on your loved ones. Don’t force them to spend way too much time with the court and lawyers, instead of taking care of you. If something happens to you, as it will one day, don’t leave your family in confusion. Give a precious gift to your family (and to yourself) of the peace of mind that comes from doing just a little planning in advance. It’s a loving thing to do, and your family will thank you for it. Y William B. Howell is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and practices law in Ridgeland.

You have worked hard for it. WHY THROW IT AWAY? We are all living longer. But we are not all going to be in good health, or aware of our families, or both. Then what happens? Someone has to take over. The question is: Will this be someone you chose? And will it be outside of court or in court? The same with the distribution of your assets after you pass away: In court or out of court? The choice is yours. What about protecting your assets from lawsuits, or a child’s inheritance from a divorce? And will most of your hard-earned savings go to the nursing home? Or have you planned? Here are a few ideas for you to consider:

Living Trust – Allows the person you choose to take over for you in the event of your incapacity, without any court involvement. At your death the person you have chosen makes the distribution of your assets the way you have instructed in your Living Trust, and to do so promptly, inexpensively and privately, without going through probate in the court.

Asset Protection – Lawsuits are filed every day. If you get sued, are your assets protected? They can be, and probably should be. Also, the divorce rate has never been higher than it is today. Will your child’s divorce cause them to lose half of what you leave them after you are gone? Not if you plan now. The level of protection (or not) is up to you. Nursing Home Planning – Don’t qualify for long term care insurance, or can’t fit it in your budget? You don’t have to spend everything that you have in order to become eligible for nursing home benefits. There are legal and ethical ways for you to save well over half of your assets in most cases, even if you are already in the nursing home. Hear Mr. Howell on the radio

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National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 33

âžşin black & white by DOLPHUS WEARY

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Grace is Greater than Race

ctober is Reconciliation month in Mississippi. We are kicking off the “Reconciliation Celebration, Facing our Challenges and Casting the Vision.� with Vision breakfasts and “Grace is Greater than Race� rallies around the state. This celebration will be a great opportunity to hear the perspective, experience the message and participate in casting the vision for racial reconciliation in Mississippi. This is the only fundraising event Mission Mississippi will have this year. The mission of Mission Mississippi is to encourage and demonstrate unity in the Body of Christ across racial and denominational lines so that communities throughout Mississippi can better understand the gospel message. Mission Mississippi has been leading the way in racial reconciliation and healing for over 17 years. In 2009, we conducted 13 Days of Dialogue and during the course of these gatherings, individuals both black and white were engaged in an open and honest discussion about race. We noticed that within each session people were enthused to celebrate their accomplishments; nevertheless, acknowledging that there is still work to be done. Challenges we face within the communities. We have watched Mississippi struggle under unyielding pressure in an attempt to evade the negative stigma left by the history of racism in our state. We see evidence of this daily, and know firsthand that ignoring the problem will not erase it or by any means reduce the size of the issue. Since, we are faced with the results and consequences of racism and discrimination, finding ways of dealing with these racial issues are challenging. We have a proven track record of assisting pastors, churches, business, and the Christian community in dealing with these racial issues in a Godly and productive way. Our

desire for this event is to celebrate the victories, not to ignore our challenges, but to face them as we continue to dream forward, encouraging better race relations in our communities and throughout the state. Casting the vision and how your sponsorship helps Mission Mississippi. Mission Mississippi’s vision is to be the leading resource and catalyst for Christian reconciliation and racial healing for Mississippi and the world. We are currently working in 19 cities, hosting multiple gatherings with plans to expand to more areas in the future. All proceeds will go to support the great work Mission Mississippi is doing to improve race relations in our communities and in our state. We are anticipating a wonderful time of celebration with a special performance by the Veritas High School Symphony. During this time we will honor two champions of racial reconciliation, Governor William Winter and Dr. John Perkins. These two men have engaged the elephant in Mississippi long before it was fashionable to do so. President of Mission Mississippi, Neddie Winters and Board Chair, David Landrum will be “Casting the Vision of Mission Mississippi�. As we face the challenges of continued progress and move forward to cast the vision in a society where “Race matters,� we believe “Grace matters more.� 2010 Reconciliation Celebration Banquet, “Facing our Challenges and Casting the Vision� Thursday, October 28th 2010 at 7 p.m. Jackson Convention Complex, 105 E. Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets you may contact Jennifer Lyles at 601.353.6477 or Jennifer@missionmississippi.org.

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education connection

Financial Aid? Easy as 1 – 2 – 3! What All Parents Should Know

P

aying for college tuition doesn’t have to be a journey into unknown or a shock to the pocketbook. University’s student financial planning offices are there to assist both parents and students as you discover the best options for your personal situation. Here’s some information on what all parents should keep in mind to make the most of their child’s financial aid.

THERE ARE THREE BASIC STEPS TO APPLYING FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID

1.

Your student should apply for admission and scholarship. Each university is different. Some will have a separate application for scholarships, and others will not. You should contact each school your student is applying to discover what their process is.

2.

Apply for state aid. As a Mississippi resident, your student can apply for Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) and/or Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG) at www.mississippi.edu/financialaid Students can complete the application after January 1 of their senior year.

3.

Apply for federal aid. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to all students, and all students are encouraged to complete it to determine their eligibility for federal aid. This federal application at www.fafsa.gov is used to determine the family’s ability to pay for college. The priority deadline is March 1 each year. Some Federal aid programs are need based and some are not, but all require submission of the FAFSA.

Be sure to list your student’s top college choices so that each school receives the results of your evaluation. Remember, applying early improves your opportunities for the best aid package. Don’t hesitate to call the admission office or the financial aid office at the schools which your student is applying. For additional assistance contact the Education Services Foundation, a non-profit college planning company whose mission is to assist students with every step of the college process. Their Lakeland Drive office provides counseling and resources such as ACT prep workshops, career assessments, assistance with the FAFSA, college searching and many other college planning services. Visit www.esfweb.com or call for an appointment 610-321-5533. Y

We love this place!

Established in 1895, Palmer Home is a long-term Christ-centered home for children who lack an adequate family structure. Palmer Home is committed to: ‡ 3ULYDWHO\ IXQGHG QRQ JRYHUQPHQWDO FKLOG FDUH ‡ .HHSLQJ VLEOLQJ JURXSV WRJHWKHU ‡ 0RGHOLQJ HYDQJHOLFDO &KULVWLDQ YDOXHV ‡ 0HQGLQJ HPRWLRQDO VFDUV ‡ 5HVWRULQJ VHOI HVWHHP ‡ 3URYLGLQJ HDFK FKLOG WKH IXOO RSSRUWXQLW\ WR UHDFK KLV RU KHU *RG JLYHQ SRWHQWLDO P. O. Box 746, Columbus, Mississippi 39703 662.328.5704 www.palmerhome.org metrochristianliving.com � OCTOBER 2010 35

➺rave reviews MUSIC

BOOKS

Tea Party Bible Times for Mom and Me

FFH Wide Open Spaces

Reviewed by Susan E. Richardson

Pop Christian music group FFH has released their first album in three years, Wide Open Spaces. The album’s debut single “What It Feels Like” shares the message of keeping faith during the chaos life sometimes brings. FFH took what they thought would be an indefinite break in 2006. The couple at the heart of the group, Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler, moved to South Africa where they spent six months training musicians and mentoring worship leaders. The break gave the couple time to rekindle a deeper connection that had started to fade during the commotion of being on the road with the band. After returning to the U.S. in 2007, Jeromy

Tea brings women of all ages together, and now mothers and daughters have a fun way to combine tea and Bible study in Tea Party Bible Times for Mom and Me by Mary J. Murray. Designed for girls ages 7 to 13, the book offers eight themed tea parties to share at the end of a week’s Bible study. Each tea party includes menu suggestions, table decorations and crafts that go along with the week’s study. The eight themes take their inspiration from Proverbs 31, put into words for girls, one idea each week. Thought questions encourage mother and daughter to interact with the material and bring their insights to the study. “Talking to God” guides mothers and daughters in prayer for each other through the week. Additional Scriptures for each day continue the theme. At the end of the week, the tea party becomes the finishing touch. The tea menus are simple and focus mostly on healthy and child-friendly foods. Those who would like a more elaborate tea time can add other foods or formal decorations. The book offers many choices on crafts and activities so readers can customize both the study during the week and the party according to their preferences. Some might want to invite other mothers and daughters to join the fun. If you enjoy taking tea or simply need something new to bring you and your daughter closer together, consider Tea Party Bible Times for Mom and Me. 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.

Reviewed by Ashley Cirilli

MOVIE

The Legend of the Guardians Reviewed by Julie Whitehead Based on the first three books of the series, The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole is a masterful film, combining excellent animation, backed by the world’s finest natural scenery, with voice characterizations that make the story come alive. The movie opens as Soren, a barn owl, and his younger sister Eglantine act out a scene from one of their father’s many stories about the Guardians, a group of owls sworn to perform noble deeds and protect the weak. Their older brother Kludd despises such play as “dreaming,” but his father intervenes and takes the brothers to learn to fly. Later that night, the brothers practice flying. One misstep from Kludd sends them both to the ground. Suddenly each owl finds himself in

RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 9TH

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day OUR MISSION: To serve all people during the end of life’s journey

601-939-9288 or (877) 637-9432 2001 Airport Road N, Suite 304 • Flowood, MS 39232

www.odsyhealth.com 36 OCTOBER 2010 ❘ Metro Christian Living

was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and Jennifer found out she was pregnant with their second child. “We’ve been walking the wilderness in brokenness and joy, learning that the two coexist,” says Jeromy. FFH grows to be more than a worship band through this album that chronicles the ups and downs of the Deibler’s journey with the Lord in the recent years. Anyone who has ever felt lost or afraid will find the lyrics relatable and the light pop/country blend matches the feeling of being in a desert, waiting for God to show light in the darkness. For more information on FFH or the new album, visit www.ffh.net. Y

unfamiliar talons, being carried away to the land of St. Aegolius to be brought into the slave army of Metalbeak, the enemy of the Guardians. As the movie goes on, Soren and his companions attempt to find the Guardians and rescue the owlets from St. Aggie’s cruel lands. Some scenes are too intense for the younger children, bringing about the movie’s PG-rating. Read the books, see the movie and let your children learn life lessons from the owls of Ga’Hoole. Y Julie Whitehead of Brandon has been a mother since 1996 and a freelance writer since 2000. She was given a Mississippi Press Association award for her work in 2006.

events calendar November 6 Crossgates United Methodist Church 2nd Annual Blackbird Run will include a 5K, 10K run, a 5K Walk and a 1-mile fun run. Proceeds are donated to the MS Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Patient Financial Assistance Program in memory of Coach Larry “Blackbird” Therrell, longtime member of Crossgates and a beloved high school and community college coach. The run is open to individuals or teams. Information is available at www.msracetiming.com, www.crossgatesumcweb.org or by e-mailing blackbirdrun@hotmail.com.

JACKSON October 6 The fair is coming to town! From October 6th to the 17th downtown Jackson will be transformed by amusement rides, chickenon-a-stick, cotton candy and a mile-long midway. For ticket and schedule information call 601-961-4000.

36TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY POTPOURRI On Friday, October 22, First Presbyterian Day School will host their 36th annual fundraiser, Holiday Potpourri from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s event will be held at the home of Cissye and Billy Mounger located at 4781 East Massena Drive. Proceeds generated from this one-day event will complete a state-of-the art science lab for the school. Holiday Potpourri guests will enjoy listening to the First Presbyterian Day School (FPDS) choir while viewing the latest in holiday decorations and gifts. Guest can bid on desirable getaways, from a limousine ride with friends to a relaxing beach vacation. Other silent auction items include party packages, artwork, beauty products, fall fashions, sports and cheerleading camps, tennis lessons, golf, Pilates, stocking stuffers, décor items and destination vacations. Featured artist Pryor Graeber will present a special silent auction painting honoring the school. Returning this year to Holiday Potpourri are Bountiful Bakery, Garden Gallery, Silent Auction, and the Tasting Tea. Holiday Potpourri is also proud to introduce an exclusive Wolfe bird commemorating Holiday Potpourri 2010. Tickets may be purchased for $5 from FPDS students, at the school or the event. Parking will be available in the neighborhood. Golf carts and shuttles will run continuously to assist guests. For more information please call 601355-1731 or visit www.fpds.org.

Their Stuff fundraising event at University Christian School. Cheer on students as they take their victory lap in celebration of the milestones each child has achieved throughout the past year. For additional information call 601-829-3446.

October 8

CANTON October 14 Get your walkin’ shoes on because it’s that time of the year again for the bi-annual Canton Flea Market! Listed as one of the “Top Twenty Event in the Southeast” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the Canton Flea Market is the perfect way to get a jump on the Christmas shopping and enjoy the best that Southern hospitality has to offer. Shopping begins early, so set your alarm clock—get ready, get set and go!

The Millsaps’ Singers will be performing a free choral concert celebrating the Anglican roots of the United Methodist Church. For more information call 601-974-1422.

October 23 Farish Community of Shalom (meaning peace) is hosting a Day of Wellness. The fun begins at 7 a.m. with a 5k run/walk at Central United Methodist Church to be followed by a free health fair, food and music. A $10 registration fee is required for the run. For more information call 769-233-3300.

CLINTON October 7 If you enjoy great food and art come join the fun at Dueling Demos, featuring celebrity chef Robert St. John and award-winning watercolor artist Wyatt Waters. The two will “fight it out” as they compete to cook some favorite Southern recipes and complete an original painting. Proceeds will benefit the revitalization of historic Olde Towne Clinton and the Boulevard Business District. Tickets are limited. For more information contact 601-924-5472.

FLOWOOD October 16 The Little Light House, a non-profit, tuition-free Christian developmental center, is hosting the Laps for Little Ones/Struttin’

Mississippi Symphony Orchestra with Tavit Tashijian and the Mississippi Chorus presents a night of music and song at the Jackson Convention Complex. Enjoy the sounds of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Frederick Lowe. For ticket information call 601-960-1565.

RIDGELAND October 14 & 16 Enjoy a fun filled family weekend at Christ Covenant School and Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church at their Fall into Fun Family Festival. Activities begin Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. with children’s games, music, silent auction and picks up again on Saturday morning with a Fun 5K and 1 mile run. For more information call Christ Covenant School at 601-978-2272. Y

metrochristianliving.com ❘ OCTOBER 2010 37

OCTOBER

BRANDON

➺quips & quotes

ADVERTISING INDEX

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Cut out the scriptures and quotes and place them around your home for daily encouragement!

✂

“When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” – Psalm 94:18-19

“A hearse is a poor vehicle to start attending church in.”

“The complaint that church is boring is never made by people in awe.”

– Anonymous

- R. C. Sproul

“If there were no gratified hearers of ill reports, there would be an end of the trade of spreading them.” – C.H. Spurgeon

“Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?”

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves by burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

– Abraham Lincoln

– Galatians 5:1

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. – Genesis 49:10 A Special Notice The founders of Redemption Outreach Ministries International, Inc., Larry and Donnetta McAdoo, want the readers of Metro Christian Living Magazine to know that they are firm believers in the principles taught by the Holy Bible. The introductory quote that appeared in last month’s edition was an error on the part of the authors and was not approved. The following quote should have appeared with the “Worth the Wait” article: “I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” -- Jeremiah 29:11, NASB

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ADVERTISER PAGE Apple Annie’s Gift Shop ..................................19 Avon .................................................................38 Baptist Health Systems ......................................9 Belhaven University..........................................23 Belhaven Graduate & Online Program ...........22 Carr, Riggs, & Ingram, LLC ..............................35 Christ Covenant School ...................................12 Christian Leaders of the Future .........................2 Dr. Phillip Ley......................................................5 East Lakeland Ob-Gyn Associates, PA............24 Energy Insulation, Inc.......................................19 Environment Masters .......................................16 Fresh-way Produce...........................................11 Gameroom Gallery...........................................25 Get Healthy Medical Clinic..............................30 Grantham Poole CPAs .....................................11 Habitat for Humanity .......................................22 Highland Village ...............................................15 Holiday Potpourri...............................................9 Imagine Behavioral Services ............................25 Jackson Academy School ..................................2 Jackson Eye Associates ...................................11 Jackson Preparatory School ............................15 Jackson Orthopedic.........................................15 Joel Clark & Sons Jewelry ...............................36 Livingston Land, Co .........................................14 M&F Bank.........................................................15 Mascagni Financial .............................................7 Medtronic.........................................................39 Mississippi College.............................................5 Mississippi Ironworks .......................................40 Mitzi Designs....................................................38 Monkey Charms ...............................................22 Nichols-Boyd Pumpkin Patch ..........................13 North State Animal Hospital ...........................38 O! How Cute Gift Shop ...................................11 Odyssey Hospice .............................................36 Palmer Home ...................................................35 Pennsylvania Life ..............................................30 Romi Ministry ...................................................38 Rustic Creations ...............................................13 Sitters, LLC .......................................................32 Smiles Dentistry ...............................................12 Southern Farm Bureau.....................................34 St. Catherine’s Village ........................................3 St. Dominic’s Cancer Services .........................21 Starlight Cleaning ............................................18 Summit Counseling..........................................32 Star 93.5 ...........................................................29 Sweet Tree Yogurt............................................10 The Eye Group of Mississippi..........................22 The Runnels Clinic..............................................3 Tinnin Imports Rug & Home............................34 Trustmark Bank...................................................7 Venerable Glass................................................32 Victory Home Construction .............................14 William B. Howell .............................................33 Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home ..................30 Written in Stone, LLC.......................................29 For more information on our advertisers visit www.metrochristianliving.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING

PRISCILLA’S STORY Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bone to become weak and susceptible to fracture. Of the 10 million Americans with this disease, 80% are women, and having a mother with osteoporosis puts a daughter particularly at risk. Priscilla Turner, 67, of Memphis, TN knows this risk all too well. Her 90-year-old mother, Jewell Fondren, suffers from osteoporosis (a disease that causes bone to become weak and susceptible to fracture). Over the past 30 years, Jewell has experienced a hip fracture, spinal fractures, and has a hunched back that may have been caused by multiple spinal fractures. Jewell, who lives with her daughter, has difficulty walking, cannot bend, and finds her clothes don’t fit well because of her hunched back. Two years ago, Priscilla seemed to be heading toward the same fate as her mother when she suffered from back pain. Priscilla went to see her doctor and discovered she had a spinal fracture. She was also diagnosed with osteopenia or low bone mineral density that can lead to osteoporosis. “I just thought I was getting older,” she said. “I didn’t know my bones were breaking, but when my doctor told me I had a spinal fracture, I was very surprised.” Like Priscilla, the estimated 44 million Americans at risk for osteoporosis are often unaware that they have the disease until they break a bone, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), sponsors of National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. However, today more information is known about the risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures. If you have a low bone mineral density coupled with one or more other risk factors, you are at increased risk of having an osteoporosis-related fracture over the next 10 years, according to a recent publication by the World Health Organization (WHO). These risk factors include a previous fracture, a parent who has had a hip fracture, smoking, taking steroid medications, drinking three or more glasses of alcohol daily, and suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or from a disorder strongly associated with osteoporosis. Less was known about osteoporosis years ago when Priscilla’s mother was prescribed pain pills and bed rest to manage her osteoporosis-related spinal fractures. Treatments are now available to help strengthen bones, and new procedures have been developed to repair spinal fractures. When Priscilla experienced her spinal fracture, her primary care physician referred her to orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Edward Pratt* of the Memphis Spine Center, who treated her spinal fracture with balloon kyphoplasty. Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can reduce back pain and correct the deformity caused by a spinal fracture. Small balloons are inserted and inflated in the fractured area of the spine to restore it back to its normal shape. After the balloons are deflated and removed, the cavity that has been created is filled with special bone cement, creating an internal cast. Priscilla is exceedingly close to her mother. They spend afternoons on their parlor couch, reminiscing about their years together or sitting quietly as Priscilla reads and her mother knits. However, she knows that she does not want to suffer the same fate as her mother.

“Osteoporosis has kept Mama from being as mobile as I knew her years ago,” Priscilla said. “Her movements are restricted. She cannot bend nor do many activities around the house. Her walking is limited.” When Priscilla experienced her second spinal fracture in 2007 and her activities became restricted due to the back pain, she decided to take action to avoid her mother’s fate. She again had her fracture repaired with balloon kyphoplasty and now exercises regularly and takes prescription drugs and calcium supplements to prevent more bone loss. “Today I do everything,” she said. “We have a two-story home, and I am always going up and down the steps, and I couldn’t do that before the (balloon kyphoplasty) procedures because of my back pain. I am also gardening again. I walk two miles a day and work out on weight machines. I am a very active person. I don’t sit.” The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that one in two women and one in four men over age 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Dr. Pratt believes that efforts like National Osteoporosis Prevention and Awareness Month are helping to raise much needed awareness of the risks and treatments for osteoporosis and related fractures. “The world is beginning to gradually wake up and see that osteoporosis is a problem and that the best way to treat it is to stay ahead of it,” says Dr. Pratt. To learn more about osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation at www. nof.org. For more information about spinal fractures, take the risk assessment, go to www.spinalfracture.com. *Paid consultant of Medtronic Although the complication rate with KYPHON® Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to be low, as with most surgical procedures, there are risks associated with the procedure, including serious complications. This procedure is not for everyone. A prescription is required. Please consult your physician for a full discussion of risks and whether this procedure is right for you. For more information please call Medtronic at 1-888-645-4444 and/or visit www.kyphon.com.

If you’re over 50 or have osteoporosis, it’s important that you don’t ignore your back pain. It may signal a spinal fracture. See your doctor right away if you think you may have one.

TAKE CHARGE Don’t turn your back on back pain.

Spinal fractures can be repaired if diagnosed. KYPHON® Balloon Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive treatment for spinal fractures that can correct vertebral body deformity, reduce pain and improve patient quality of life.

before

balloon kyphoplasty

after

For more information on balloon kyphoplasty or to find a local physician performing the procedure, call 800-652-2221 or visit www.kyphon.com Although the complication rate with KYPHON® Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to be low, as with most surgical procedures, there are risks associated with the procedure, including serious complications. This procedure is not for everyone. A prescription is required. Please consult your physician for a full discussion of risks and whether this procedure is right for you. © 2008 Medtronic Spine LLC. All Rights Reserved.

MEDTRONIC Spinal and Biologics Business 1221 Crossman Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94089 USA Tel: (408) 548-6500 16003152_002 [01]

Welcome to Our New Showroom in LeFleur's Gallery

Stop by our beautiful new showroom and see first-hand the superb craftsmanship of our security doors, windows and iron fencing. They are available in an array of styles and options. While there, set an appointment for a free estimate.

Mississippi Ironworks www.mississippiironworks.com I-55 North, LeFleur’s Gallery, near Picadilly Jackson, MS 601-355-0188 877-281-8232

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