My Neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Steele Creek encompasses a large area of the southwestern part of Mecklenburg County formerly rural and residential but now rapidly approaching total annexation, especially after the completion of the western leg of I-485 through the area. Generally the entire area south of Charlotte-Douglas Airport and west of Sugar Creek and I-77 is referred to as Steele Creek. Approximately 72% of its 25,282 residents now fall within the boundaries of the city of Charlotte."

Activeword.org - Devotional

Activeword.org - Devotional: "All Flesh

'And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. . . . I will pour out My Spirit in those days.'--Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)

The prophecy above was delivered by the prophet Joel sometime around 800 B.C. It's a prophecy packed with a promise that was almost unthinkable at the time: God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh--men and women, young and old.

This was amazing because up until that time, God's Spirit only had come upon certain people for certain situations, such as Moses' elders (Numbers 11:25) and Samson (Judges 14:19). It had been like that for many centuries until God's Spirit was poured out upon the early church:

Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:2-4 NKJV)

Bystanders couldn't figure out what was happening, and assumed that the first disciples were drunk. Peter stood up and set the record straight:

'But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. . . . I will pour out My Spirit in those days . . . .'' (Acts 2:16-18 NKJV)

Joel's prophecy had been fulfilled and continues to be fulfilled as we who comprise the Christian church are filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). True to His Word, God has poured out His Spirit on all flesh--men and women, young and old, Jew and Gentile. Anyone from anywhere can experience the blessing of God's Spirit if he or she is in Christ (Galatians 3:28)."

FOXNews.com - Mel Gibson Did It Again! - FOX Fan

FOXNews.com - Mel Gibson Did It Again! - FOX Fan: "Because I know Mel, his noble intentions and his creative genius, I was eager, though somewhat unconvinced, to see how much his new film would matter.

Mel has done it again! His film matters. That's my critique of “Apocalypto.”

Don't get me wrong. This is no sequel to “The Passion of the Christ.” Some of his fervent fans will be disappointed if they were hoping for another religious epic. Mel just didn't have it in him. He doesn't see himself as a prophet, a spiritual director, or a religious role model. But he knows how to make movies, and he has been making good and responsible ones for a very long time.

That's what Mel has done again. He's made a heart-stopping, mythic action-adventure that tells an ancient story in a way that matters. During the process of releasing the “Passion,” Mel realized a tremendous hunger in the audience for a different kind of film. Talking about his reasoning for making “Apocalypto” he said, “People want big stories that say something to them emotionally and touch them spiritually.”

Of all of his past films, this one most resembles “Braveheart.” The only difference is that it takes place in an ancient Mayan jungle, is spoken in the ancient Mayan language, and is represented by a bunch of unknown actors"

Focus on the Family Radio - The Consequences of Godless Politics (Part 1 of 2)

Focus on the Family Radio - The Consequences of Godless Politics (Part 1 of 2):
"Focus Radio > October 23, 2006
The Consequences of Godless Politics (Part 1 of 2)
Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter talks with Dr. Dobson about politics and her new book, Godless, which details left-wing hostility toward Christianity. (Part 1 of 2)"

Asheville, NC's Official Tourism Web Site : Fall Color Report

Asheville, NC's Official Tourism Web Site : Fall Color Report: "U.S. 151 to Mount Pisgah

Located 26 miles southwest of Asheville, Mount Pisgah is at a high elevation - 5,700 feet – and offers panoramic views of North Carolina Mountains including Cold Mountain. Take Interstate I-40 West from Asheville to the Candler/Enka exit. Turn right onto U.S. 19/23 West and follow 19/23 for several miles. Turn left onto NC 151. Originally an access road to Mount Pisgah, this road makes a winding assent, then twists steeply for the last few miles before reaching the Parkway. At the Blue Ridge Parkway turn right toward Mount Pisgah. Follow the Parkway South to Milepost 407.6 where you will find parking and the trailhead to Mount Pisgah. Mount Pisgah was named after the biblical mountain from which Moses first saw the “promised land.” If you are interested in taking a hike, the trail length is 1.5 miles one way and is considered strenuous because of its elevation gain. To return to Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway North to U.S. 191 (Brevard Rd). This is also the exit for the N.C. Arboretum. Turn left onto U. S. 191 and follow the road to I-240 East. To return to downtown Asheville, follow I-240 East and exit any of the downtown exits."

NC State Parks Calendar of Events

NC State Parks Calendar of Events: "Mount Mitchell State Park
Sat, October 21, 2006
Balsam Nature Trail
Go on a pleasant nature walk through a boreal conifer forest and explore the flora and fauna of Mt. Mitchell.
Light three quarter mile hike.

Location: Concessions Stand
Time: Sat. 1:00 pm"

The Ransomed Heart - He Thinks, Wills, Enjoys, Feels, Loves, Desires, and Suffers as Any Other Person

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He Thinks, Wills, Enjoys, Feels, Loves, Desires, and Suffers as Any Other Person
10/07/2006

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Theologians and Bible teachers have told many of us that God is “impassable,” that he does not experience emotion as we humans do. Is that what you find when you read Isaiah or Jeremiah or Hosea? A. W. Tozer pleads in The Pursuit of God: “We have almost forgotten that God is a person . . . and in the deep of his mighty nature he thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires and suffers as any other person may.”

In Disappointment with God, Phil Yancey tells of going to a cabin in the mountains in Colorado to face his doubts about God and to read the Bible for himself. What he discovered changed his life:

Simply reading the Bible, I encountered not a misty vapor but an actual Person. A Person as unique and distinctive and colorful as any person I know. God has deep emotions; he feels delight and frustration and anger . . . As I read through the Bible in my winter aerie, I marveled at how much God lets human beings affect him. I was unprepared for the joy and anguish— in short, the passion—of the God of the Universe. By studying “about” God, by taming him and reducing him to words and concepts that could be filed away in alphabetical order, I had lost the force of the passionate relationship God seeks above all else. The people who related to God best—Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah—treated him with startling familiarity. They talked to God as if he were sitting in a chair beside them, as one might talk to a counselor, a boss, a parent, or a lover. They treated him like a person.

(The Sacred Romance Workbook & Journal , 95–96)

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From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 280
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

A Message from Amazon.com About My New Wish List

Hello,
Remember Wish Lists? As kids, we sweated bullets over filling our lists with stuff we might actually have some hope of receiving, and stuff our friends and family would never buy us. Well, I was visiting the Amazon.com site, and started my own Wish List. Check it out and then create one for yourself if you haven't already!

Best Wishes,
Daniel K King

You can see Daniel K King's entire Wish List at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/1YTTVTPQOZR0D

Amazon.com has sent you this e-mail at the request of Daniel K King.

The Ransomed Heart - Tuning the Instrument

“For example, God wants to be our perfect lover, but instead we seek perfection in human relationships and are disappointed when our lovers cannot love us perfectly. God wants to provide our ultimate security, but we seek our safety in power and possessions and then we find we must continually worry about them. We seek satisfaction of our spiritual longing in a host of ways that may have very little to do with God.” (Addiction and Grace)

And so, Gerald May says, “The more we become accustomed to seeking spiritual satisfaction through things other than God, the more abnormal and stressful it becomes to look for God directly.” Our instrument is out of tune from years of misuse.

(The Journey of Desire , 175–76)

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From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 278
Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

The Ransomed Heart - Remembering Together

"We were meant to remember together, in community. We need to tell our stories to others and to hear their stories told. We need to help each other with the interpretation of the Larger Story and our own. Our regular times of coming together to worship are intended to be times of corporate remembrance."

(The Sacred Romance , 207–8)

SCBC - White Oak : SCCC Retreat "Men of Steele"

SCBC - White Oak : Home:
"Set in the wooded hills of the midlands, White Oak Conference Center provides modern day comforts in tranquil surroundings away from daily routines and distractions. Able to host large adult and youth conferences in spacious venues, as well as, accommodate small retreats or seminars White Oak provides the perfect setting for training and fellowship.

White Oak is equipped to meet your conference needs with 140 motel rooms, a group house that sleeps 64, a 400-seat dining hall, an 850-seat auditorium, a 230-seat lecture hall and 23 additional classrooms. Also available are many recreational opportunities with a 25-acre lake, pool, gym, picnic shelter and other activities.

The 840-acre conference and retreat center is located 37 miles north of Columbia and 60 miles south of Charlotte, 8 miles off Interstate 77 at exit 46.

White Oak Conference Center exists to serve the churches of the South Carolina Baptist Convention as a place set apart for Empowering Kingdom Growth through evangelism and discipleship in the name of Jesus Christ.

White Oak Conference Center permits groups affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, other Christian denominations, and non-profit organizations whose purpose and objectives are compatible with those of the South Carolina Baptist Convention to utilize the conference center as space is available."

J A A R S: Partners in Bible Translation

J A A R S: Partners in Bible Translation:
"Prayer of the Day Sep. 27 - Praise the Lord for the Kodiak airplane, a new turbine-powered aircraft designed especially for mission flying. JAARS anticipates receiving its first one in early 2007."

Gmail - Want to be 7 years younger?

A tidbit of perhaps useless trivia from your friend in Africa. Thought you might be interested.

Want to experience Y2K again? Come to Ethiopia...at least to celebrate your birthdays! Where you can maybe really be 29, 39, 49, 59 , 69 or 79 again.

In Christ,
Steve Womack
Africa Area /SIL
Communications Coordinator


From Lonely Planet “Ethiopia & Eritrea”
Another great Ethiopian idiosyncrasy that confounds many travelers is the calendar. Based on the Julian system, it is roughly 7 ½ years ‘behind’ the Western Gregorian calendar. The year 2006-07 is thus ‘1999’ in the Ethiopian calendar, where ‘1999’ begins in September 2006. Just to confuse you thoroughly, the Ethiopian fiscal year begins on 8 July, and the Ethiopian New Year is rung in on 11 September. The Julian calendar is named after Julius Caeser, and developed as a result of a dispute over the exact date of Christ’s birth. The Julian calendar is made up of 12 months of 30 days each and a 13^th month of five or six days. Hence the Ethiopian Tourism Council challenge to “Visit Ethiopia and be seven years younger”!

New Life Ministries: 1-800-NEW-LIFE

New Life Ministries: 1-800-NEW-LIFE:
"Support Group Directory
Location Details: Name: Southbrook Church, Charlotte, NC Type: Other
Info: Men Only Group meets Fridays at 6:45 am

Call 1-800-NEW-LIFE to find out more about these support groups"

Excerpt from Steve's book "The Secret's Men Keep"

New Life Ministries: 1-800-NEW-LIFE:
"Excerpt from Steve's book 'The Secret's Men Keep'

When I came to understand that I wasn't the only man with secrets, my interests were piqued to discover what other men were thinking about that they weren't telling anyone else,' explained Stephen Arterburn.

So, he set out to write The Secrets Men Keep book, which comes in part from a professional survey of 3,600 men. He explores topics such as:

* What money means to men
* How parental expectations affect a man throughout his life
* The truth about the male ego
* How men really feel about being a spiritual leader
* What worries men in their relationships with women
* Why success is a double-edged sword

From the Introduction:
Why Men Keep Secrets

'Secrets are not a bad thing. If they were, God wouldn't have them. There are some things that he keeps completely to Himself-'secret things,' as the Bible calls them (Deuteronomy 29:29). He has other information that He reveals only to 'his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). In fact, Proverbs 25:2 says, 'it is the glory of God to conceal a matter.'

'If it's acceptable for God to conceal things, to have secrets, then why is it not completely acceptable for men to have secrets, 'to conceal a matter'?

"The bottom line is this (and every man knows it): most of the secrets men keep are held out of fear—the fear of embarrassment, shame, guilt, loss of respect, loss of stature and favor, repercussions, reparations, and the like. In other words, men mostly keep secrets for all the wrong reasons. Understandable reason, but wrong nonetheless..."

The Secrets Men Keep is broken into 5 sections (25 chapters):

• Section 1: Secrets About Finances, Fame and Family
• Section 2: Secrets About Feelings
• Section 3: Secrets About Spirituality
• Section 4: Secrets About Relationships With Women
• Section 5: Secrets About Sexuality

The Ransomed Heart - It Must Be Intimate

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It Must Be Intimate
09/27/2006

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Of course, small groups have become a part of the programming most churches offer their people. For the most part, they are disappointing and short-lived—by the very admission of those who try them. There are two reasons. One, you can’t just throw a random group of people together for a twelve-week study of some kind and expect them to become intimate allies. The sort of devotion we want and need takes place within a shared life. Over the years our fellowship has gone camping together. We play together; help one another move; paint a room; find work. We throw great parties. We fight for each other, live in the Four Streams. This is how it was meant to be.

(Waking the Dead , 193) From The Ransomed Heart, by John Eldredge, reading 270 Ransomed Heart Ministries www.ransomedheart.com

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Residents beat man accused of showing porn

Residents beat man accused of showing porn: "When one of the mothers saw him and asked Burke what he was doing, he tried to run and the woman started screaming, said Elizabeth Williams, the mother of another child. According to a police report, Burke said about 15 men 'jumped him and hit him repeatedly on the face with their fists.' He suffered minor injuries, police said."

Quote Details: Thomas Berger: Why do writers write?... - The Quotations Page

Quote Details: Thomas Berger: Why do writers write?... - The Quotations Page: "Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.
Thomas Berger"

"Why do bloggers blog? Because it isn't there." by KingDan

Activeword.org - Devotional

Activeword.org - Devotional: "Keeping this perspective will protect us from placing unrealistic expectations on other people and will refine our motivation for ministry."

Compost Central

Compost Central: "Mulch and Composting Facility

5631 West Blvd.
phone: 704-588-9070
Directions:

From I-77 South...turn right onto Billy Graham Parkway towards the airport ... turn left onto West Boulevard and travel about 2 miles. Turn left into the composting facility.

Hours of Operation:

Saturday; 7am - 3pm, Monday - Friday; 7am - 5pm

Residential, Commercial and Industrial Yard Waste generated in Charlotte, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Mint Hill, Pineville, and the unincorporated areas of the County may be brought to the County's yard waste facilities.

Acceptable Materials:

* Leaves (unbagged please!)
* Brush (unbagged please!)
* Grass clippings (unbagged please!)
Limbs less than 5' in length
* NO tree stumps!

Yard Waste Fees:

* $16.00 per ton
* Automobiles - $1.00 per load
* Vans, pickup trucks, trailers (less than 10 feet in length) - $7.00 per load
* Compactor trucks - $4.00 per yard ($7.00 minimum)
* All other vehicle types - $2.15 per cu yard ($7.00 minimum charge) "