"Old Age Begins at 27, Study Finds"

This is the headline from a Fox News article I read today. Apparently, I now only have less than one year left of youthfulness.

Oh well, at least I had fun at my 26th Chuck E Cheese birthday party. Here's a few pics:

(Note: In this last picture, my friend Kenneth hit the Skee Ball jackpot and won 250 tickets!!! Everyone donated their tickets to me since it was my birthday, resulting in a Chuck E Cheese teddy bear.)

I felt so blessed on my birthday with tons of messages, phone calls, and unexpected gifts! Thanks to everyone for making me feel so special!

Rattlesnake Roundup

"Welcome to Sweetwater, where we have the ugliest rattlesnakes and the prettiest women in Texas!"

This is the slogan for the annual Rattlesnake Roundup in Texas. Now that I've attended I feel like I'm much more of an authentic transported West Texan.
Here's a few closeups of the rattlers.
Apparently, Sweetwater has a beauty pageant for "Miss Snake Charmer". This is Miss Snake Charmer 2009, who I suppose inspired me...

This is the "Milk Pit" where they were milking the rattlesnakes to use their venom for medicinal and research purposes. These guys are gutsy. I guess they also inspired me...
This is the outcome of my inspiration - probably one of the gutsiest/stupidest things I've ever done. Seriously, what possessed me? I suppose I just thought Miss Snake Charmer looked so cute and cool holding that snake. Me, well I look terribly uncomfortable, as you can see - not cute and cool. I tried.

This is a snake's head that has just been chopped off. What a bizarre thing to watch. The crazy thing is, when a rattlesnake gets chopped in two, each segment of it's segregated body still moves. See the tongue?
A bucket of snake heads. Need I explain?
Here is the skinning station. Notice how cute these girls are that are skinning snakes. Only in West Texas.
This is where the inspiration stopped. Isn't this wild? I just can't get over it...
You know you are in West Texas when you see this in someone's yard.
I'm not real sure what this was all about. Any ideas? Andy and our new friend, Chris "Sandman" Sand, the Rappin' Cowboy (more to come on him) took a forlorn picture with the poor little fellow/lady. Chris did a better job looking forlorn.
I guess Chris was overtaken with the fellow/lady and proceeded to make the moves on him/her/it. To each his own.

These guys were my company to my first authentic Rattlesnake Roundup experience. I feel fulfilled in a weird sort of way.

March 12th

People who were born on March 12th:

• Mitt Romney, 2008 Presidential candidate
• Jack Kerouac, American beat poet
• Jesse Fuller, writer of the song "San Francisco Bay Blues"
• Ron Jeremy (don't ask if you don't know)
• James Taylor, really, really great musician
• Me

Random Events in History from March 12th:

• 1914 - Julia Lennon, John Lennon's mother is born (d. 1958)
• 1894 - In Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, Coca-Cola is sold in bottles for the first time.
• 1912 - The Girl Guides (later renamed the Girl Scouts of the USA) are founded in the United States.
• 1994 - The Church of England ordains its first female priests.

Fun facts to know and tell about my birthday:

• It has always been on Spring Break (except in college).
• In college when it was not on Spring Break, I skipped class so that I could say I never had to go to school on my birthday.
• On my 11th birthday I begged my parents into letting me get my ears pierced for the first time, only to find out that I can't wear earrings because my ears get infected from them (except for my cartilage).
• I never had a sip of alcohol (with the exception of spiked ketchup) before my 21st birthday. I had a margarita to celebrate that, but didn't enjoy it at the time.
• My 26th birthday (today) will be celebrated at Chuck E Cheese's.

True Rest

"Who spoke of rest? There is rest above.
No rest on earth for me. On, onto do
My Father's business. He, who sent me here,
Appointed me my time on earth to bide,
And set me all my work to do for Him,
He will supply me with sufficient grace -
Grace to be doing, to be suffering,
Not to be resting. There is rest above."

- J. Hudson Taylor

God's Work and Money

"But in many cases what God wants is not a money contribution, but personal consecration to His service abroad or the giving up of a son or a daughter - more precious than silver or gold - to His service. I think a collection tends to leave the impression that the all-important thing is money, whereas no amount of money can convert a single soul. What is needed is that men and women filled with the Holy Ghost should give themselves to the work. There'll never be a shortage of funds for the support of such people."

- Hudson Taylor

Hudson Taylor was notorious for refusing donations at his speaking events. He felt very passionate that people did not need to be swayed by an emotional appeal, but needed to be compelled by the Holy Spirit to give. People often thought he was crazy for this, but time after time God proved Himself faithful to supply the finances for His work.

I'm praying this week that the Lord would bring up such people who are passionate about making his glory known in all the earth!

Please join me in prayer for our good friends Drew & Jordan and Chase & Brittany as they visit the Middle East this week and next week with the view in mind of long-term work in the area where there are currently no known believers. Check out their websites for more specifics.

Convicting Quote from Hudson Taylor

"Can the Christians of England sit still with folded arms while these multitudes are perishing - perishing for lack of knowledge - for lack of that knowledge which England possesses so richly, which has made England what England is, and made us what we are? What does the Master teach us? Is it not that if one sheep out of a hundred be lost, we are to leave the ninety and nine and seek that one? But here the proportions are almost reversed, and we stay at home with the one sheep, and take no heed to the ninety and nine perishing ones! Christian brethren, think of the imperative command of our great Captain and Leader, 'Go, go ye, into all the world, and preach the gospel to ever creature;' think of the millions upon millions of poor be-nighted China to whom no loving follower of the self-reouncing One has 'brought good tidings of good', of 'published salvation'..."

From "J. Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ"

I just finished reading Hudson Taylor's biography, which I very highly recommend. I'll try and share some quotes like these that challenged me. While you read the quotes, please remember to pray for our friends Logan and Daryl-Ann, who are in the process of heading out to Asia to share the gospel with people who have never heard it. You can follow their journey here.

Welcome to the Tribe

Ok guys... one last post right now about Andy's music. I can't help it, I'm just a proud little wife.

Last month my sweet husband and our good friend Andy Wilkinson officially finished their first album together, titled "Welcome to the Tribe." I think it sounds and looks super cool!

Check out a detailed review of the album here.