Day 390: My bio

I have a bio. Online. Just like a cheesy church staff member, I tried to make sure it gave a bit of my vision for this ministry. But then I erased half of it and tried to make sure it really sounded like me.
Here it is. Let me know what you think!

"Katie has a passion for children and families to discover Christ and the community of His church. For over 10 years, Katie has worked in children’s and youth ministry, through church and para-church organizations. She began work with Children and Family Ministries at 2nd Pres in May, 2010. Katie works with families from birth thru fifth grade.

A graduate of Farragut High School and Converse College, Katie is active in social justice causes. She has connected US children and students with orphans in India, Haiti, and Africa through her work with Rice Bowls, a faith based non-profit. She has also served the community through the Junior League, Fantasy of Trees, Young Life, and Team in Training. Katie enjoys coffee, running, and newlywed life with her husband, Brad, and their puppy, Harding."

www.2ndpres.org

Afternoon quote

"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties" - Erich Fromm

Thanks again LB!

386: The Cross

Last night I went with Brad to "The Cross". He has been hanging out with some college guys over the past few weeks and looking for ways to serve this ministry. The Cross is all about reaching out to the Greek community through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to establish a community of believers, and to equip them to impact the environment to which God calls.
It was free snacks, great worship, and sincere teaching. This week the guest speak stayed with the theme of "community" (I think that's the theme of the semester. Maybe?) Anyway, he spoke of "Matt" a.k.a. the guy at capernium whose friends dug through a roof and made their way around the huge crowd, just to get their cripped friend in front of Jesus. And getting in front of Jesus changed his life, because of their faith. It no doubt change his life in more ways than just the physical.
I want to be a friend like that. And I want to have friends like that. I want to be so insanely passionate about getting my friends in front of Christ. Whatever it takes. And I want to be the kind of friend that doesn't try to fix things myself, but rather I want to set up my friends to encounter Christ in such a way that He can work in their life. Not me. Not only do I want to have these kind of friends, I want my friends to have other friends who feel the same way and to be that type of friends to others.
Whether we realize it or not, we all need to be in front of Jesus.
And we all need friends to help get us there.

Quote of the afternoon

“Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be” -George Sheehan

Thanks LB...again

Day 384 and 385: Our Garage and my Office

#1 The Garage. A.K.A. former sight of insanity and confusion.
It cleaned. It is organized. You can find anything in there! Our garage looks amazing! So proud of our fall cleaning and effective storage and the way we are putting our wedding gifts to prompt use!

#2 My New Office. A.K.A. What is this room?
Meantime, upstairs...our nook/loft/upstairs-room/little-space-that-we-did-not-know-what-to-do-with, has been wonderfully converted to my new office/sewing-room/quiet-space.
Who needs 4 bedrooms when you are newlywed and you can have 2 bedrooms and 2 offices!

I love our house!!

Day 382: First Look

Here is a look at "First Look." This is the curriculum we have implemented this fall at 2nd Pres. Our children, birth through age 5, have their own special rooms, called "The Park," "The Zoo," and "The Crosswalk." They are getting their "First Look" at the precious truths of the Bible and discovering their God. They spend time each week with Mrs. Sabina, Mrs. Judy, Mrs. Laura, Mrs. Kathy, and Mr. Bob, along with our loving weekly volunteers. At home, their are simple activities for families to continue to teach these basic truths:

· God made me

· God loves me.

· Jesus wants to be my friend forever.

We are having so much fun discovering Christ with Kids!

Quote of the morning

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
-Marianne Williamson

Thanks LB

Day 383: Exit 383

According to my calcalations, October 18, 2010, is day 383 of my life back in Knoxville. Exit 383 is my interstate exit, when I am coming from West Knoxville and Farragut, back to "slightly less west west Knoxville, a.k.a. the heart of Bearden, where we live now.

Days 379 and 381: The Maple Grove Inn

Thursday was barlap and ribbon and power cords and strings or lights and friends and DYI projects and lights and mason jars and Joe and Mollie! Saturday was their wedding and or Thursday we got to help decorate the Maple Grove in for their fabulous affair!!
No pictures could display the beautiful of this Bed and Breakfast, built in 1799. No online experience could capture the perfect weather of that day. No blog, not even "Style Me Pretty", Mollie's fav, could describe the incredible detail. And no band could get you-know-who dancing like that.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Lacher!

Updated: Photo from Michele Andreck photography->

So, I have unpacked an obscene number of wedding gifts and shower presents over the past few months. One of my favorite was the crock pot I got from Alisa, one my my bridesmaids who hosted my first shower. I have been so excited for it to get cool outside, so I can put it to use making some hardy meals!
It's is definitely getting cold outside...or should I say "chili"! That's what I made Thursday to slow cock and enjoy Friday night with friends at the house. So yummy, over macaroni, just like i learned to eat in South Carolina.

PS...Yes, I do still have my old crock pot. My mom gave it to me a few years ago when she upgraded. It was a wedding gift to her! Next weekend, I plan to cook for a crowd and use both!

Day 377: Wedding Photos!

This weekend, we finally organized, arranged, and ordered more wedding pictures, in various shapes and forms. If you have 25 minutes to kill, please enjoy our slideshow!

Click here for the video->

Day 379: Oodles Uncorked

Oodles Uncorked:
-an Italian American Restaurant with an award wining wine list
-a treasure of Market Square
-on July 8, 2010, the historic site of THE GREATEST SHOWER/BACHLORETTE NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF WEDDINGS, featuring "The Katie-tini", my closest Ktown friends, my bridesmaids, a awkward glass window, great gifts, funny games where I proved I knew my groom, and THE WORLD'S MOST LOVELY MOH, MARCI!
-home of 1/2 price bottles on Wednesday nights
-site of a great Wednesday night with Linnea and Kelly!

Photo Credit: www.oodlesuncorked.com

Day 378: Tin Roof

During a college internship, I was a big fan or Tin Roof during a summer in Nashville. So, naturally, I was glad to see them make an appearance on "the strip" in here in Knoxville. But what I learned Wednesday was even more exciting. Tin Roof does a great lunch! And, on Wednesday, Tin Roof does one of there great quesadilla's for lunch...for $5! Wow. I had the California Quesadilla, topped off with corn and avocado. I think I could have split it with a friend too. So, so good! I'll be back another Wednesday real soon.

Photo Credit: www.tinroofbars.com

Day 376: Jason's Deli

Welcome to the Strip. Welcome to the closest, quickest lunch location from 2nd Pres. Welcome to free ice cream. Welcome to the neighborhood, Jason's Deli! I am such a fan!

Photo Credit

Day 369: Knoxville YL

You were made for this.
Last Tuesday night it was the Knoxville Young Life Banquet.
You can count on the annual Knoxville Young Life banquet for 3 things:

1. You are going to see fun friends that you love, including some you have not seen in a while and some you see everyday. It is a great reminder of the loving, visionary, massive but close community we live in!

2. You are going to laugh. Hard. A complete "who is on first" routine. A massive lip sync event. Yes, you are going to laugh. Very, very, very hard.

3. You are going to hear truth. And I am going to cry. And even if you don't, you are going to be touched with simple, yet profound truth. One leader summed things up with truth: Every kid, just like every adult, every person, everywhere, needs 2 things:

First, we all need to know the love of Christ.

Second, we all need to have real connections with a person who cares about us.

You were made for this.

Day 367: The new www.2ndpres.org

Are you new to Knoxville? Are you a member of 2nd Pres and want some info? Looking for a church? Want to check our calendar? Want a crisp look at all of our programming? Want to hear the latest sermon? Want to see bulletins and announcements? Want to read our pastor's blog? Want to get connected?

It is all here!!
The new WWW.2NDPRES.ORG!!