A day in the life of...Mark Williams

Leaving for the ATL

This morning, we're heading out to Hotlanta!!  The Orange Conference begins tonight for us!!  I am going with some great friends and people that I serve alongside every week at Agricola Baptist.  I am pumped!!  So...pray for us as we travel.  And pray that God will energize us, give us a great time, and be inspired by His Word and for reaching His people!!

Orange Conference 2009

This is one 3 day conference that I absolutely look forward to every year!!  The Orange Conference , hosted by the reThink group, does an outstanding job of laying out a strategy for ministries to Think Orange.  What does that mean?  It is about doing ministry with the church and family working together and alongside each other.  Orange is more than just children's ministry.  It's preschool, children, and youth ministries working together, not against each other. 

I am so excited about this!!  We are taking quite a few volunteers this year as well.  I am looking forward to hearing some great speakers this year as well.....Reggie Joiner, Donald Miller, Perry Noble, Francis Chan, and others. 

Also, I have the privilege of speaking at a breakout this year.  It's called "How Orange Are Your Schools?"  I'll have a short interview on how we started our mentoring program at our local elementary school, how we use the Core Essentials curriculum in that environment, and tell a little about our relationship with the school.  I am PUMPED about this.  I get the opportunity to share "our story" about how God is working through us in our community.  Pray for us as we travel on Wednesday!!  I'll be blogging about this conference over the next few days. 

A great day!!

This morning, we voted on a new preschool/children's building.  It passed with an 86% majority!!  I am full of praise for the God we serve.  I also am thankful for the hard work the building team has put in.  I have met with them many times on design, children's issues/elements/things to consider as well.  They all did a great job pulling this together.  The chairman, Sam Loftin, is to be commended for being so thorough in his work and leadership of this project.  While today is a great day, we must also realize that it is only the beginning of a journey to improve our facilities.  Ultimately, we have to be about glorifying God in all that we do, and reaching people with the gospel of Jesus.  Praise God!!!

Now...to go to the final KidStuf before the summer!! 

shaping up nicely!!

Today has shaped up nicely.  I woke up early, then Melanie offered for me to go back to bed.  Thank you!!  I slept for another hour, and got up.  We were a little slow getting going, but we wound up going to Wal-Mart, running by Jack's Hardware, and heading home.  We washed both cars with the kids.  Lots of fun!!  Then I grilled some hot dogs for lunch.  Now Micah and I are watching a Braves game while Malaree is asleep and Melanie is helping a friend with the VBS clinic set-up. 

After the Braves game is over, I've got some work to do for KidStuf tomorrow.  We may also make some sno-cones, with the new sno-cone machine M4 Camps was given!!  HooHaa!!

Another round with the contacts

Well...I went back to the eye doctor last week, because my contacts had been KILLING MY EYES.  They would be fine for about 3 or 4 hours, then lots of pain.  I couldn't take it anymore.  The lady who deals specifically with the contacts said I was wearing a "crappy" pair of contacts.  Long story short, too much of the edge of the contacts were touching my eyes.  So....they made them steeper around the edges so that less of the contact would be touching my eyes.  I've had them on for a few hours now, and so far so good.  I go back Monday afternoon for a check-up with them.  We'll see how it goes.

On a family note, while we were in Mobile picking up the contacts and a few other things.  We got a call from the school that Micah was getting a "stye" (not sure about the spelling) on his eye (or eyelid).  We got Misty to take him back to the office.  We made it back around noon, and he is now sleeping....along with Malaree. 

Tonight...we're helping set up the VBS clinic room at the association building.  This will be the first time we set up the pipe and drape that we will use for camp.  We've got some of our staff that will be assisting in this to give them some practice. 

Micah lost his first tooth

Our son, Micah, lost his first tooth today.  It came out after school today.  He was brave about the whole thing.  He is pretty excited about it.  I think he's "banking" on the tooth fairy bringing him some money. 

It was another day of "1sts" too.  Tonight we had our annual RA races at ABC on the ballfield.  There was a great turnout.  Micah got 1st Place in the 1st & 2nd grade division.  I was so proud of him, b/c he always does his car.  It had the number 32 on it and the initials J.V.  This, of course, is for Jarvis Varnado, who plays basketball for Miss. State.  The car was gold and orange.

My car, on the other hand, didn't fare as well.  I ran in the "adult" division.  My car was hollowed out.  That design didn't seem to make it any faster.  Oh well.  I definitely tried a different approach.  Never hurts to try!!

Making a difference

Ok....this post will be a little personal.  We all wonder if we're making a difference.  I want my life to count.  I don't want to get to the end of it and have to wonder whether it counted or not.  I want to know.  How can I ensure that?  Simple I guess.  Be obedient in my relationship to Jesus.  That involves a lot more than just "Be obedient".  It means going when it's time to go.  It means staying when you should stay.  It means taking time each week to invest in kids that may never come to your church.  No benefit for the church that you are on staff with.  It means taking time to give others the best of yourself.  It means that we use the gifts and abilities that God has given me to provide what otherwise wouldn't be provided. 

There is so much going on in the life of The Williams' family right now.  There are great things happening, and we sooooo want to be obedient in what God has called us to.  Our fulfillment comes in serving Jesus Christ as a family.  Not just serving on the church staff, or doing what we are supposed to do.  We are called, as individuals, and as families, to serve God through His kingdom. 

We have a passion for seeing people introduced to a relationship with Jesus, then grow in that relationship.  God is always faithful to give us opportunities to serve Him.  The question is, will we take those opportunities and run with them? 

I am encouraged by people who take those steps.  The Hendersons left this morning to begin their time as missionaries through the IMB.  They will spend a few months in Virginia for training, a few months in Costa Rica for language school, then head to Peru for 2 years.  Wow.  It seems so non-chalant.  But it's not.  It's giving everything up to follow Christ.  It's denying self to follow Christ.  It's taking up your cross daily to follow Christ.  We say it is simple...yet it is hard.  That's ok, though. 

We weren't called to live an easy life.  We weren't called just to make the easy decisions.  We have been called to work through tough decisions to help grow the kingdom.  As I read back through scripture, in Galatians the other night, it spoke of how Paul and Peter were at odds.  We look at conflict as ALWAYS a bad thing.  We look at everyone having to be in total unity as a MUST.  But in Galatians 2, we see that even Paul and Peter opposed each other some times.  Other apostles had to go different directions as well.  Why?  Because methods that people use are going to be different.  Different personalities and people do things differently.  THAT'S OK!!  Really.  The purpose of spreading the Gospel should be centric to what we do.  That should not change. 

I have rambled a little in this.  More than anything, I am just saying that we have been called to spread the Gospel of Jesus above all else.  The way in which we do it is not the end-all.  It's ok to have different opportunities to do this, and still have the same end in mind.   We must remember, that in the end, we want our lives to count.   And we have something to say and do about that. 

blogging down

I have been slowing on my blogging lately.  I'm not sure why.  I will try and get back going again.  Plenty has been happening.  I will post a little bit later today.  We have our mentoring program today with our 6th graders at the local elementary school.  I always look forward to the time that we have with our 6th graders. 

Yesterday, the pastor and I made a few visits around the community.  We got to see some church members and visit with them. 

Sunday was a good day of worship.  RA races are tomorrow night.  That will be a lot of fun.  I know the boys have worked hard on their cars. I will post more later on.

Date night last night

Melanie and I got away to Mobile yesterday afternoon and night for a date.  First, we went to Lowe's to pick up a few things for camp (a hand truck and some clamps....not really the best way to start off a date, but we both knew it was necessary).  Then we went to the movies to watch 17 AGAIN.  It was, in my opinion, just a good movie.  It took a little while for it to get going, but got better as it went.  I will say this, it had some funny parts in it.  A good romantic comedy.  Other than it taking me 20 minutes to get a sprite and some nachos (with only one person in front of me), the movie part of the date was good. 

Then we went to Bonefish Grill (our favorite date restaurant) and had a wonderful meal.  I've never had a bad meal there.  I will continue to go there.  Afterward, like most other trips to Mobile, end at Target.  We picked up a few nicknacks for the kids. 

We came home, visited with Brittney for about an hour, then called it a night.  I share this to say that there aren't too many dates that we have where we go to dinner AND a movie.  Usually it's one or the other.  Last night was a much-needed time for us to just enjoy an afternoon and night out. 

John Madden retires from broadcasting

Watching an NFL game won't be the same without Madden.

Here's the story.