Youth Challenge Update

Youth Challenge is always an exciting time for several reasons. As we so often do in our holiness churches, whether it be adult or youth occasions, we give updates to the rest of the congregation that could not or did not go. Last evening in youth service, those who attended Youth Challenge spoke of the highlights. One of our young people said that they really enjoyed the music. Now remember, this presentation is given to alot of "older people" in our church who really do not understand what Youth Challenge is really like. With this thought in mind, this young person went on to say that the part that they enjoy most of the music was "when they had that lady up there dancing around on the piano bench." and they left it at that. As pastor I thought I would have a long line awaiting me at my office door after church wondering what kind of night club our young people were going to. Come to find out that this lady "dancing around on the piano bench" was none other than Kimberly
Collingswoth. If you have seen her play, she doesn't necessarily mimic a statue. She puts herself into her music. You do not know the sense of relief that I felt upon hearing this explination!!!

MAAAAATT!

This was the name that I heard coming from downstairs as Vonnie saw one of these creature running around in our basement. Of course this posed a slight problem. Our washer and dryer is down there. I was beginning to be a laundry boy for the Ellison's in the evening hours. Most mice are gentle greatures but my Vonnie would hear nothing of it. Something had to be done before I came to familiar with the laundry process. Someone suggested buying the glue traps. I now highly recommend them also. As you can see they work qite well. These dudes and dudettes were caught "in house". (By the way, the little seed looking things on the trap is bait. Just thought I would clear that up in case anyone was wondering!)

NO! She looks like a Chinese.

Due to the fact that Don Hallenbeck drove a bus to Youth Challenge, Valerie was left at home alone. So she took her week off and came to the Ellison's. She was accompanied by Stephanie Slavens, a cute little PNG girl, who she was babysitting while the Slaven's were away. Stehpanie and Justin played all weekend long. A bond was formed between the two. However, it did not seem to go so well between Stephanie and Kayla. When Vonnie asked her if she wanted to hold Kayla, she replied, "NO! She looks like a Chinese girl!" She did however warm up to her by the end of the weekend. She even fed her once.

Matt, you won't believe this!

The response from my mother when she called this morning to report the first snow fall of the year in Beckley, WV.

Walking in the light...

This past week we have been privileged to have Rev. Mike Wetherald in our home. He has been holding our church revival for us. He has done an excellent job. He has given us truth at church each evening, but also at home throughout the day. For instance, we recognized that coffee took forever to make at our house (he is an avid coffee drinker). We joked about this as he gave us more truth, "Real coffee drinkers use BUNN coffee machines". After mush discussion, we found ourselves in Boscov's looking and finding a Bunn coffee machine. Needless to say, I walked in the light and I am now the proud owner of a new BUNN coffee machine. Now, in less than 3 minutes we are enjoying a fresh, hot cup of coffee.

Hasn't he heard?...

"I preserve my constitutional rights as the president of Iraq." Oops! I'm soory Mr. Saddam. Maybe you haven't heard. You are no longer president! I would have thought that his "new" office space would have given him at least a small clue to this fact. Saddam's trial is soon starting (after small delay). I sure hope the justice system in Iraq is a little tougher than ours. If found guilty, Saddam could receive the death penalty, BY HANGING!!!!

About 30 seconds...

The amount of thime it took to raise nearly $2,000.00 to buy new hymnals for our church. Oct. 16 was the first Sunday to use our new Sing Unto the Lord hymnals.

One pup to go...

As many may know, I started a new adventure about a year and a half ago. I started in the bulldog business.
Well, the only business that I have seen in it is what I have cleaned up for a year and a half from 5 dogs. It all started off with this grand idea of getting rich quick. I would find one of the most expensive dogs I could find, buy one, and then breed it and sell the pups. Simple enough. I missed Sky's, the mother, first heat. Now another six months must pass. Then it happened. July 14, 2005, four pups were brought into the Ellison's home.
That night the mother dies. A couple weeks later a pup dies of pneumonia. A blood transfusion is required for
yet another pup. My profit continues to dwindle. The breeder takes a pup fpr the breeding fee. This leaves me with two pups to get rich on. One goes to pay off Sky. This leaves me one pup to get rich on. This pup goes to pay off vet bills. This leaves me as poor as before and determined to leave the bulldog "business" alone. What an adventure.

So this is how it feels?!

I now how the "bragging rights" that so many of you have had for so long now. I have a blog and I'm on the web. Wow! I feel so much more important. I am sure that when I tell my church board, they will be so impressed that I have reached such a level, that next week I will be driving a Lexus. From here on out you will receive up-to-date news and updates from the world of the Ellison's from New Columbia on the newly revealed, "Newkie News." Stay tuned.