Generate - Young Family Ministry: March 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

AfTeRnOOn In ThE pArK - AnSwErEd PrAyEr

Happy Tuesday to everyone. This past Sunday we celebrated Easter with an AWESOME service and a WONDERFUL afternoon in the park. We got to see just how GREAT GOD is by how the weather turned out. Teya and I watched the weather all week and kept seeing the temperature change from 40 something to 50 something up and down and then the chances of rain kept going up and down, it was very much a rollercoaster to watch. We stood in agreement that the weather would be great and that there would be no rain. On top of the weather the park had been closed all week due to storm damage removal. I had people asking me if I had a plan B incase the weather or park would not be available. Needless to say plan B was to cancel. All I can say is THANK GOD for PLAN A. There was no rain, lots of sunshine and a nice cool breeze. We sat in the SUN and basked in the vitam D, played football and ate lots of sweet treats and good food. Let's just say Fruit Pie cookies are EVIL "Thanks Tracy" Just kidding they are way to good.

Teya and I would like to THANK EVERYONE that came out and enjoyed the day with us.

Friday, March 7, 2008

"in sickness & IN HEALTH!"

I hope March is off to a better start than it was for our family. It started the last week in February with me (Rich) getting strep throat and then a week later Teya getting the flu. Of course it would just not be the same had the flu germ not shared itself with me, so I came down with a case of the flu two days after Teya did now both of us are out of commission leaving our beautiful daughter who is 8 to take care of her parents. All I can say is she did a great job and THANK GOD for Teya's mom who came over to help us out. Teya and I are on the mend now and feel MUCH better. Now wouldn't you know it Belle ended up going through it this week. She is all better now though.

While I was going through all of this the vow of "In sickness & in health" came to my mind. What does this vow mean to you? Well it is a pledge we make to one another when we get married but I think so many times we forget the importantce of what it means. I know from a personal stand point Teya and I got to really put that into practice and to be honest with you I saw just how blessed I truley am to have a wonderful wife such as Teya, who even though she wasn't feeling well didn't hesitate to take care of me and Belle when it was needed.

Well stay healthy and remember God's covenant "by His stripes YOU WERE HEALED!"

“Road Trip” to Muskogee Water Park

There’s no question… its HOT!

Summertime can be a fun time for the family, as long as there are basic necessities, like air conditioning. Although we do spend a lot of time “in doors” this time of year, outdoor events can be fun too as long as there is plenty of shade and lots of water. I think it’s time to schedule a trip. We really love the water park in Muskogee and we think it would be great to spend a day there with our Grace Church family.

For those of you who have never been, here is a link to their website.

http://www.cityofmuskogee.com/shell.asp?pg=92

One thing is for sure, it’s very inexpensive in comparison to the water park here in Tulsa which makes the 40 minute drive a piece of cake. There is plenty to do for you and your children no matter what their age. So, here are all the details…

Generate Young Family Ministry “Road Trip” to Muskogee:
Where: River Country Water park in Muskogee
When: Saturday, July 19th, 2008 (Park is open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
What to Bring: Swimming attire, sun block, towels, water, snacks etc. Technically, there are no coolers allowed in the park, however, they do have Concessions available for cash only purchases.

So, pack up the kids, gas up the car and meet us in Muskogee. We’ll probably arrange to go pretty early so we can stake out a big enough area for our group. If anyone would like to caravan we would be happy to do so. Please reply to this email with a yea or nay or stop Teya or me in church to let us know that we will be seeing you there.

Up Coming Family Events

The Freedom Festival is Sunday, June 29th. Come and celebrate our country with your Church family and friends. We will be sitting on the lawn just east of the Children’s Building and we would love to have any or all of you join us. This will be the perfect location—right by the games, AND right by the food… not to mention it will be a wonderful spot for the Firework show. The Car show starts at 5:30pm and the rest of the fun events start at 6:00pm.

Questions? Email us at-
rselleck@gracetulsa.com
tselleck@gracetulsa.com

See you there.

Communication Pop Quiz

Please answer each of the following questions in terms of your relationship with your "spouse" if married, or your "partner" if dating or engaged. It is recommended that you answer these questions by yourself and not with your spouse or partner.

Use the following 3 point scale to rate how often you and your spouse/partner experience the following:

1=Almost never or never
2=Once in a while
3=Frequently

Note: It is recommended that you do not share the answers to the questions just the total score.

1 2 3
Little arguments escalate into ugly fights with accusations, criticisms, name calling, or bringing up past hurts.

1 2 3
My partner criticizes or belittles my opinions, feelings, or desires.

1 2 3
My partner seems to view my words or actions more negatively than I mean them to be.

1 2 3
When we have a problem to solve, it is like we are on opposite teams.

1 2 3
I hold back from telling my partner what I really think and feel.

1 2 3
I think seriously about what it would be like to date or marry someone else.

1 2 3
I feel lonely in this relationship.

1 2 3
When we argue, one of us withdraws…that is, doesn’t want to talk about it anymore; or leaves the scene.

What Does My Score Mean?

8 to 12 “Green Light”

If you scored in the 8-12 range, your relationship is probably in good or even great shape at THIS TIME, but we emphasize at “THIS TIME” because relationships don’t stand still. There is no need to stop, but it is probably a great time to work on making your relationship all it can be and to prevent problems in the future.

13 to 17 “Yellow Light”

If you scored in the 13 – 17 range, it’s like you are coming to a “yellow light.” You need to be cautious. While you may be happy now in your relationship, your score reveals warning signs of patterns you don’t want to let get worse. You’ll want to be taking action to protect and improve what you have.

18 to 24 “Red Light”

Finally, if you scored in the 18 –14 range, it’s like approaching a red light. Stop, and think about where the two of you are headed. Your score indicates the presence of patterns that could put your relationship at significant risk. It is important to stop and learn ways to improve your relationship now!