Staycations!

One of the hot buzz words this year is "Staycation" ... Money too tight for a true VAcation, so STAY at home ... but if you do remember these tips:

1. Treat it like a vacation - NO home improvement projects

2. This is NOT the time to catch up on the "TO DO" list

3. Vary the routine - get out of the house - do what you can for CHEAP in your own community!

Along those lines the National Parks Department has great news -

Fee-FREE weekends - Starting Father's Day Weekend - June 20-21 and again July 18-19 and August 15-16 ... Find out more at www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

Summer is here!!!

Some of the sweetest childhood memories I have took place in the summer. One of my favorite things we did as a family, was take trips to our family cabin. There were always great adventures to be had. My brother’s and I learned how to fish. I remember watching my Dad fly-fish and thinking how he made it look so easy and beautiful. (Never did quite learn how to fish that way.) My Grandmother would take me on nature walks where she and I would pick wild flowers and place them in a vase when we got back to the cabin. During those walks she had a precious way of pointing me to our Heavenly Father –the Creator of all my eyes were taking in. I remember one of those walks where we came across a patch of wild raspberries- ripened by the sun, nothing tasted so sweet. In the afternoons, I remember sitting on the covered porch playing Yahtzee, listening to the rain hit the tin roof and watching it come down in sheets. When the rain stopped you could count on that sweet smell and my Grand-Dad asking any of us if we wanted to join him for another trip back to the lake to try and catch our perfect rainbow trout. Not too long ago I was visiting New Mexico and Russell took me back to that Old Cabin. Someone else owns it now. It still looked the same, but I realized very quickly you can never go back to those moments in time. I will treasure those times and they are great reminders to me to make the most of each moment THIS SUMMER!!

Operation Ethan

For Info on helping 8 year old Ethan Bibb -

www.operationethan.com/

and for the formal press release - visit

http://www.94fmthefish.net/Article.asp?id=1335794

4th Grade Graduation

Where does the time go? My son, Garic "Baby-Man" Griffin is now moving onto ... Middle School? What?? 5th Grade? Please don't let me blink or the tears I shed at his recent 4th grade graduation will only seem like yesterday when gets his High School diploma. You hear it all the time - "Spend time with your kids" - "Don't miss the opportunities" ... I can only echo that. You know that time spent with family is more valuable than any report, project or 'work' effort. (Work can wait!) Remember - LOVE ON YOUR KIDS - Today & Every Day.

As We Forgive

The life changing power of forgiveness is the topic of a new movie. Directed by Laura Waters Hinson "As We Forgive" follows Rosaria and Chantale, two Rwandan women who come face-to-face with the men who slaughtered their families and attempted to murder them during the 1994 genocide. An estimated one million Rwandans were killed and nearly a million widows and orphans were left in the genocide’s wake. This is a very powerful movie that both Kim and I have had a chance to preview. This film speaks about the powerful freedom one can find in forgiveness.

For those in the Nashville area there is a special showing of the film tonight - May 21st at Belcourt Theater (7:30pm $6 cost) with proceeds going to the Living Bricks Foundation, a non-profit organization that partners with Prison Fellowship to help repentant genocide perpetrators build housing for their victims' families ... Also there will be a showing tomorrow (Friday, May 22nd) at Harpeth Community Church in Franklin (6:30pm) ...

The film will be available on DVD -

Find out more at http://www.asweforgivemovie.com/

It's about time

I have to tell you I am normally not a girl who watches a lot of TV, but this past year my husband Russell and I got caught up in the “Biggest Loser.” This season had it all- the oldest, the youngest, heaviest guy and heaviest gal. It was so inspiring to watch these people make the commitment and lose the weight. Now granted when you go on this show, ALL you do is work-out and watch your diet. They don’t have to worry about paying bills and taking care of their families. Who wouldn’t lose weight in that environment? But for the rest of us it’s a little tougher to manage or is it? The truth is we keep appointments and commitments to people everyday and now it’s time to turn that around and keep a commitment to ourselves- for me that means- I have got to lose weight and get healthy. It’s going to be tough but I am ready!!!! I just completed my first week and I have lost 6lb.!!! Wooohooo!! I can’t wait to see what God will reveal to me as I get this body healthy and fit. Please keep me in your prayers. I will continue to keep you up dated on my progress.

Christians shine the light on American Idol

Did you know that half of the top 13 finalists on American Idol are believers? Two of the top 3 finalists are worship leaders at their home churches (Danny Gokey and Kris Allen - pictured here) ... Find out more by following this link to an interesting story about how singers on the hit FOX show are using this platform to glorify God.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97839