Mardi Bras VA 2018

We are super excited to announce some new features to Mardi Bras VA.

Many of you have hosted your own party – so this year, we will be offering you a Party Kit that will guide you in throwing your own Mardi Bras party!  So, go ahead and set the date for the month of February 2018! More to come!


Top 10 Posts in the Last 5 Years!

The First Picture on My Blog

The First Picture on My Blog

Today is the 5 year anniversary of my very first blog post! It started as a lenten project. Many people had encouraged me to tell my story… of how I moved “Into The Neighborhood” and how I met the “other half of my pair”. So…this is how it started..with this post… why blog? and in the beginning, where I told the story over the Lenten season in the spring of 2010. If you want to read my story from the beginning, start there and work your way backwards.

Of if you want to jump around over the last 5 years, you have read about things like… How Louis and I metCamp Splash, Easter Egg Hunts, Halloween, my 50th Birthday, Community Cookouts, Living on Mission, and more!

Since then…it’s been hit or miss. I’ve been busy living life more than writing about it. It’s come in spits and sputters, as i write sporadically. I just want to say thanks for reading. And special thanks to those who share how my writing… my God-inspired true life stories… help shape your life.  Thanks a lot.

And lastly… just for the fun of it… here are the top 10 posts of all times, based on number of views since 2010. Check them out here…

Go to the people Live among them….Chinese Poem
Mardi Bras RVA (and surrounding areas, too!)
A Night Unlike Most Other Nights
Heart Breaking. Soul Weeping. Mind Reeling. Knees Bending.
10 Things to Think About Before You Give in the Amazing Raise 2014 (or anywhere else for that matter!)
Once Upon A Time…
“My friends are my estate.” Emily Dickenson
New. Every. Morning.
this woMan’s Best Friend
To Give…or Not to Give

Latest News: Jen Hatmaker’s Visit to RVA


Bless Richmond 2013

Just a few shots from Sunday evening’s gathering Richmond’s 3rd Annual Bless Richmond gathering.  What a blessed evening of over 1800 people from countless churches all worshiping the Lord and praying for Metro RVA.  In addition, over 11 tons of food (and counting!!) were collected for Feedmore!

SAVE-THE-DATE 2014:  Go ahead and put November 23, 2014 on your calendar!  We will see you at the 4th Annual Bless Richmond!

Note: Terence Talley is a 17 year old photographer, senior at John Marshall High School and dear friend and neighbor. He does super work! Watch for more pictures coming from hime!

Bless Richmond 2013

Bless Richmond 2013

Program Outline

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Worship Team (photo cred: Terence Talley)

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1865 people in attendance (photo cred: Terence Talley)

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(photo cred: Terence Talley)

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Pastor prays for Councilwoman Mosby from 9th District – (photo cred: Terence Talley)

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Passing it on to the Next Generation (photo cred: Terence Talley)


Hallo-BOO-ween 2013

Our annual front yard Halloween gathering! I think the pictures speak for themselves! We had a blast and had a record number of neighbors and friends – old and new, young and old – who came by! It got so busy we couldn’t keep up with picture-taking and candy-giving.

What a great evening for chillin’ on the front porch with the ones you love! I wouldn’t trade this night for anything.


HELP!!! I’m in need of math tutoring help!

I am so ill prepared for tutoring! This afternoon I took a few minutes between housework stuff to run some neighborhood youngsters through flash cards. Any parents, homeschoolers or teachers out there have any tips for teaching little ones to add and subtract and older ones to multiply???  Seriously. I need help here. Anyone???


Memorial Day Festivities

Louis and I love our annual Memorial Day Festivities!!!  This shin-dig started years ago and has grown significantly since. We hung out with a lot of friends and neighbors..remembering and honoring the day. Louis and I provide the grilled chicken, drinks and birthday cake (because my birthday always falls around Memorial Day!)…and everyone else provided the rest….fruit, sides, veggies, salads, fried fish, corn cake, curried chicken, you name it!  What a blessing!

Go ahead…mark your calendar for next year….Monday, May 26, 2014….4pm-8pm.  I dare you!  

Quick side note… My birthday won’t actually fall on Memorial Day until 2021…when I will turn 58. WOW! Now THAT is scary!

Curious to know…for those of you who came,

what was YOUR favorite part of the gathering and why?

Mine? I love connecting my friends to one another over a good plate of food, where everyone had a part in contributing to the meal.


Brookland Theatre – Back in the Spotlight, again!

I have lived in the Northside, specifically Southern Barton Heights, for going on 8 years.  Many people over the decades and recent months and years have prayed and believed that the Brookland Park Boulevard corridor can be revitalized.  There have been several attempts to do so.  We (and by we…I mean the community!) are back at it again…fully believing the time is now.  Now, it’s time to gather the larger Northside community and then, listen to the answers to questions like…What do we want from this theatre and corridor? What will they support and build?  What else would they like to see along Brookland Park Boulevard.

Hope you can come to the first of 3 community forums facilitated by the Storefront for Community Design.  We want to hear all the voices – old and young, long-time residents and new residents, etc.  All are welcome!

We look forward to seeing you…and bring a neighbor!

Tuesday, November 27th

6-8pm

Northminster Church
Contemporary Worship Center
3121 Moss Side Ave, RVA 23222

Remember to RSVP to info@storefrontrichmond.org or 804.649.4935.


Light Gives Heat – A Winning Opportunity!

Over the last few weeks I have had a number of conversations about mercy ministries vs. development ministries.  Questions have been asked like… “When is ok to give money to a ‘homeless person’ who is flying a sign ‘will work for _____’?” As Christians, is it really all that radical or weird to hand out money, buy food, or  give things away for free?

With the Superstorm Sandy rolling through, yes…there are needs to be met.  And it’s a perfect opportunity to give what is needed and asked for.  The LA Times recently had an op-ed The donations Sandy’s victims don’t need which speaks perfectly to this topic.  We saw and heard about items that went to waste in Haiti, because it’s not what is needed or it’s not useful.  Our friends and missionaries, The Salvants, at New Hope Haiti Mission recently blogged about similar ‘giving’ in non-emergency times – The Ministry of Stuff.

Dr John M. Perkins once said “The best welfare program is a job”.  Last year, I even wrote more about it here >  “The Best Welfare Program is a Job”  Dr. John M. Perkins and here > PART 2 ~ “The Best Welfare Program is a Job”  Dr. John M. Perkins

That’s what I love about this organization…they partner with Ugandan artisans to “provide consistent incomes where there were none.” Please keep reading to learn about them…how they help provide winning opportunities to the Ugandan people.  You, too, will have a chance to win!

Light Gives Heat (LGH): A 501c(3) Non-Profit, based in Grand Junction, CO (with a second location in Jinja, Uganda and surrounding areas).

  • Mission: Empowering Africans through the encouragement of economic sustainability and creative endeavors. Motivating people in the west to “be the change they want to see in the world.”
  • Vision: To See Africa rebuilt and renewed from the inside out and to see people in the West living with Hope

Your Winning Opportunity!

As you prepare to purchase Christmas gifts or something to treat yourself, please consider supporting LGH.  Support providing someone a job versus providing handouts.  To encourage you to buy and support LGH, you have a chance to win a $25 LGH gift card!  Complete at least one of the following.  The more you do, the more chances you have to win. Just remember to comment when you do!

1.  Buy something from LGH! Comment below what item you bought.

2. Donate to LGH!  Comment below that you made a donation.  You don’t have to share how much, but I am hoping it will be more than the $25 gift card prize!

3.  Share the great work that LGH is doing in Uganda by sharing this post on FB or Twitter!  Comment below how you shared it.

Deadline:  Friday, November 9 at 12noon eastern time.  Go ahead and do it now.  Don’t wait!  🙂

Thanks!


Weather Permitting…Halloween Happiness in SBH!

 

Actually….the party is tomorrow, Wednesday ~ 10/31, but I won’t get the flyers to the kids until tomorrow.  All are welcome!  Come on by!  We love to meet our neighbors and see our friends.