ICE SCREAM POST!!!!!!!!

I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.
I love ice cream!!!!!!!
I love Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzards (@dairyqueen)
I love Ben & Jerry's funky titles & concoctions (@cherrygarcia)
I love Cold Stone's Signature Creations (@coldstonecream)
I love Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Cakes (@baskinrobbins)
I love Kilwin's Milkshakes (@kilwins)

My favorite ice-cream flavor is Chocolate Peanut Butter. Especially when I make it myself (lowfat chocolate ice cream + natural, smooth PB) cuz I get the perfect amount of PB & chocolate in my mouth with every bite. YUM-freakin-YUM! This just begs the question: if you scream for ice cream, what flavor do YOU scream for?

You Hold the Ticket!

You have a great opportunity before you. Yes, you! You hold the ticket for someone to experience Christ, church & cool community. The tix are available at all our campuses. And heck, if you run out, I'll drive over to your crib & hook you up! Seriously, we're praying for lots of opp.'s to give away these tix for our upcoming Heroes & Villains service on Sept. 12-13.

3 PRACTICAL TIPS 4 HANDING OUT TIX:
1. Keep a stack of them in your car
2. Keep a handful in your purse or work-bag.
3. Before you walk into or pull up to any establishment, pray, "God, please give me an opportunity to invite someone and give me the courage to do it."

OK, I'm dying to know....who are you planning on giving a ticket to? Do tell!

The Answer is Near You

If you feel unworthy, unnoticed, unable or unhappy...
this weekend, the answer is near you.
Visit Flamingo Road Church at one of our 5 locations.
If you can't get to one of our 5 locations,
experience our service on your computer at www.frclive.tv:
on Sat. at 6 or 7:30pm, EST
or Sun. at 9:30, 11, 12:45 or 5pm, EST
I hope and pray you will find your way
and the answer you are looking for.

A Pointless Post About My Hats

A little walk down hat-memory-lane:

I dig hats because...
-hats can turn around a bad hair day without selling you out that you're having one.
-hats (esp. weird ones) are great conversation starters.
-hats never go out of style.
-hats offer an artistic & creative outlet (try matching an Alpaca hat to an ensemble!)
-hat-fashion has no rules--so wearing them is liberating.

So I'm curious...what's your take on hats? You dig or don't dig?

FIRSTS

Yesterday was DJ and Andy's first day of school. Watching them walk out to the car, took me back to my firsts: first day of school, first loose tooth, first tryout, first dance, first graduation, first job, first promotion, first love, first child.
In my remaining years, I actually look forward to more "firsts."
Though the scary thing about 'em is you have no wisdom or feeling going in;
the best thing about "firsts" is the "I DID IT" when you come out!

Praise the Lord & Pastor Troy Gramling!

Last night, Pastor Troy was a guest on TBN's Praise the Lord. Technically we weren't suppose to have our cameras/phones out during the 2-hour recording session. I obliged & only snapped a few. Here, we have our very own, Roly Rodriguez. As you can see, the studio audience was diverse and full of delight. As you can see, so was Roly...

Here, we have Raul & Jesus. Not kidding. TBN also owns The Holy Land Experience in Orlando. Part of last night's show included Jesus (who flew in from Orlando) reenacting a scene with the audience. Here is Jesus, seconds before entering stage right (in character, mind you). As you can see, Raul was pretty excited about that...

Pastor Troy did AWESOME. He was the same Troy on an 8-million viewership program as he is in front of a 1000 on stage at Flamingo Road Church. I was so proud of our pastor. He's the real deal and as he continues to be the real deal, God has got Himself a real vessel that HE can do great things through.

Planet Earth = Speechless Me

Tonight I caught Discovery's HD "Planet Earth." I've heard a lot about this, but til now, had never seen it. Here's my review: awesome, amazing, breathtaking, compelling, intriguing, fascinating, mesmerizing, captivating, inspiring & exhilarating. I couldn't take my eyes off the TV when it hit me: there'd be no "Planet Earth" if there was no God. God made the Earth & the rotation of it. He designed the animals & let us call them by name. He created order between sea & sky and moon & sun. And though Discovery captured it--God created it. When you have one of those days where you doubt God-watch Planet Earth-because after you do, you will not.

Flamingo Film & Arts Festival

This morning, I'll be participating in a fierce competition for the Flamingo Film & Arts Festival. Our team is made up of who's and what's: an effortless, rhythmic convergence of diversity & off-the-chain talent. I can't WAIT to see what we create & I'm looking forward to the energy & fun that will accompany it. For highlights & more scoop, visit:

www.mauriciotinoco.com

www.neverlift.blogspot.com

www.iStacie.com





Also, if you are an aspiring or active leadHer, join me at tomorrow night's Flamingo Film & Arts Festival Exclusive Screening. A great opportunity to be inspired in all your creative leadHership endeavors! Don't forget to text-vote for my team as the Audience Choice Award winner!

Axiom

(Bill Hybels) For more than 3 decades I've had the privilege of leading Willowcreek Community Church. And for the better part of that tenure, I've led by axioms--leadership proverbs that I have created and practiced, albeit mostly only by "oral tradition." Recently, I decided it was time to craft them in written form.

(Me) Today, I'm parking on Axiom #33 because it's my fav from his book. It's, "JUST SAY IT!"

(Bill Hybels) From time to time, you'll detect occasions when it's not just one person tiptoeing around the truth, but the entire group. My advice...is to say, "Please give us your 10-second reaction to what has unfolded here in the last half hour, no more and no less. Don't sermonize, edit, or hide. Just come right out & say it! It is amazing how much time you will save & how many of your colleagues will thank you after the meeting."

(Me) Soooooooo, this begs 2 questions:
1. Why do we struggle with "JUST SAY IT!"?
2. What do we gain when we do?

D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y.!!!!!!

I was raised around diversity;
taught well how to embrace it.
Got in a throw-down once to protect it.
Eventually married into it!
Get to serve in an environment of it.
And can't WAIT for the best of it in heaven.
Defined by our work-ethos, diversity is ensuring, "is there someone here NOT like me?"
LOVE THAT!
So here's to diversity:
loving others who aren't like us & letting them love us cause we aren't like them.

TRENDSPOTTING: Online Shopping. WhooHoo!

I've had some crappy experiences with online stores & some wonderful experiences. These 5 sites have earned my patronage with their consistently-good products, customer service, user-friendliness & sales:
1. RedEnvelope - a great place for unique gifts for special peeps
2. BlueFly - trendy, unique clothes for dudes & dudettes
3. Sephora - yummy skin, body & face products & you always get freebies
4. Zappos - clothes & shoes and the customer service is crazy-good
5. ChristianBook -great variety of bibles, gifts & leadership books for the whole fam

OK, seriously, if you have one to add to this, let me know. Don't be holdin' out on me, hello!

3 Quickies I've Learned About Joy in Pain

Typically, over the last 25 years, when it comes to my lungs, I've drained the heck out of family & friends with pity, drama & attention-seeking. But the last few times, through the love & modeling of Raul, Troy & Steph & my mom, I've learned some things about seeking joy in pain:

1. Despite the pain, if we wake up breathing, we have a good reason to be joyful. Period.

2. In pain, we can sit it in or walk through it. The latter is more like Jesus. He walked to the cross & joy came in the morning.

3. There are more eyes on us when we're suffering. If people see God's joy in our pain...they will desire the same & the joy becomes contagious.

TRY.

In these pix, DJ tried one more time.

I've come to learn that we can't always take a leap & land.
But we can take a step & try.
And God is there for both.

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track"

An Un-Religion Invitation

Today, I read an article about a popular pastor & 1 of the critical comments included this quote from a world renown comedian & atheist:

"Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky, who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning & fire & smoke & torture & anguish for you to live forever, & suffer & burn & scream until the end of time. But he loves you...& he needs money."

If you share this sentiment, do me a favor? Check out my pastor, online this weekend (click here). It'll only take an hour. You can log off any time. It won't change you if you don't want it to.

Them

I love them.

I miss them.

I thank you, God, for them.

What Face Do People See When You Don't See Yours?

I've had a few buds call me out for the "face" I wear when others are looking but I'm not. I thought they were full of crap til I recently saw this:

Yikes! Put those talons back in, Vulture-Woman! It's bad enough I say things I don't realize but to have a face I don't realize, either? It's an involuntary reflex! What am I supposed to do?! Must give to God. He can do ALL things. So as my stay continues in Rm 7007, my mission is to let God change something beyond my control. And hope doctors, nurses & visitors, alike, will see a face that reflects the joy of God in it. =-)

Let's Lift Each Other Up

The nurse just came in & gave me Ambien, so I've only got a few minutes before I start snoring & drooling. This is my 5th visit here for pneumonia in the last year & a half. But I'd be selfish and remiss to think that you weren't struggling with something too. Today's post shall be for all of us. You leave a comment with the verse you cling to when things get tough. I'll do the same. And together, let's lift each other up.

Did Jesus Pay For My Lungs?

This weekend, as we sang, "Jesus Paid It All," I know God wanted me to understand what "All" really means. When Jesus died on the cross, He died for ALL mankind, but He also died for ALL parts in mankind. With 25 years of bad lungs, I've jokingly & seriously wondered if Jesus got my heart, but the devil got my lungs. Today, I realized that when Jesus died for me, He didn't "leave out" my lungs & He sure as heck didn't hand them over to the devil. The devil doesn't have my lungs; the devil has never had my lungs; and the devil has no right to my lungs. I want to encourage you. YES, YOU! If you have a weakness, but Jesus has your heart, Jesus is in your weakness too. He hasn't removed it cuz He's still doing something through it.

Don't You Just Hate It When This Happens?

...you're trying to get a nice group picture and some crazy chic walks RIGHT in front of the camera. Gheesh! Some nerve!

2 2-Do's 4 U

1. This week, the Blogger's Bookstudy is reviewing a fantastic book. And guess what? If you swing by these blogs, you will learn & grow from the book without having to buy it OR read it, hello!

• Chapters 1-3, www.heredes.com
• Chapters 4-5, www.barbyward.com
• Chapters 6-7, www.mauriciotinoco.com
• Chapters 8-11, www.iStacie.com (Friday)
  

2. Visit Flamingo Road Church this weekend. Pastor Troy will be teaching live at our Cooper City campus and tackling something I need to hear...half-way obedience!

Peace!
Heath

ABCs with God

When I get anxious, I'll go through the entire alphabet & come up with attributes of God for every letter. I started this 10 years ago during one of my hospital trips. It's amazing what it does:
1. it gets my mind off my worries
2. it puts my mind on the right things ("if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" Phil 4:8)
3. it stretches my vocabulary
4. it gives me 26 good reasons to lean on God!
Try it sometime. Or if you want, try it with me, today. I'll get us started:
God, You Are...
(A) Abundant
(B) Bold
(C) ___

The Bachelor

Meet one of my pastors. He's young. In good shape. A devoted papi. He's also...
a great seamstress:

a super model:

a good patient:

and an all-around ladies-man:

Give it up for Pastor Ricky Garcia (& leave a comment if you're godly, good-looking & single)
;)