austin faith & family- january 2010

January 2010 FREE

TravelRomance awaits you...

What are you waiting for?

The Leadership FilterPop that bubble!Be ridiculous!

Top TenIn the Mood to Read?

10 choices!

Generation BridgeSexting on cell phones...

What every parent should know...

Christian BrothersAutomotiveChrist-Centered, Community-Minded...Every Day

For registration information, please contact Karen Cappolino at (512) 476-2625 or at [email protected]

Please join the First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas and theCenter for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership at

Baylor University for an all-day seminar.

The speakers for the seminar are Gerald Cleaver,Associate Professor of Physics, Barry Harvey,Professor of Theology, and Phyllis Tippit, Lecturer inGeology and Interdisciplinary Science, all fromBaylor University.

If you wish to receive additional information aboutthis seminar, contact Julie Covingtonat Baylor: (254) 710-4677 or [email protected]

Science and Faith Seminar:Breaking Down the WallSaturday, January 23, 2010

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.$35 Registration Fee | Lunch & Refreshments Served

Held at First Baptist-Austin (901 Trinity Street)

www.fbcaustin.org

Available at all HEB stores in the Greater Austin Area

3www.AustinFaithandFamily.com

Publisher: Lee Eddins, H.O.T. Publishing, [email protected](512) 689-2717

Editor: Marcy [email protected]

Contributing Writers:Lee Eddins, Marcy Lytle, Lauren Lacey, Joe Elliott, Dr.John Tuggle, J.L. Lewis, Keith Gravesmill, LaurenTurner, David Lawrence, Miranda Bradley, DebbieStevens, Amy Carr, Laurie Loew, Dave Ramsey,Chelsea Belote, Mike Rinker, Melissa Critz, Jo AnnArmstrong and Patricia Jacobson

Photos: Lee Eddins, Kamrin Wolfe

General Manager/Graphic Design: Beth Rountree

Sales: Lee Eddins (512) 689-2717

Austin Faith and Family is committed to encouragingindividuals in their daily lives by presenting the faithstories of others and providing information that willpoint every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper,authentic, personal and life-changing encounter withJesus Christ. Views expressed in Austin Faith & Familydo not necessarily represent those of the publisher.Every effort has been made by the Austin Faith &Family staff to ensure accuracy of the publicationcontents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracyof all information, nor the absences of errors andomissions; hence, no responsibility can be, or isassumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2010 byH.O.T. Publishing, LLC.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New InternationalVersion, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternationalBible Society. Used by permission of InternationalBible Society.

Austin Faith & Family is published monthly and isavailable at high traffic locations throughout themetropolitan area. Copies are also available bysubscription, $25 for one year. Single issues availablefor $3 an issue.

Volume 1, Number 8

TABLE OF CONTENTS


In This Issue8 Player Profile: Texas Stars Landon Wilson

9 Travel: Romance for Two

14 Golf Tips From the Tour:Great Golf Courses of the World

16 20 Words: The University Where God Intended You to Go

17 Mommy Time With Miranda: Secrets to Keeping Your Resolutions

19 Mr. Appliance: Services Central Texas for 11 Years

20 The Home Front: Planning Home Improvements in 2010

21 Leadership Filter: The “New” Shapes the Future

25 Feature Story: Christian Brothers Automotive

26 A View From the Blue Roof: Being, Not Doing, in 2010

26 Catching the Light: Remembering

28 Daniel and Justin Show: Generation Bridge

Focus:15 Focus Non-Profit: Hungry for God Home

17 Focus Restaurants: Bella Luna

23 Focus Music: Chaney

LifeStyle:6 Health Matters: Healthy New Year:

Make This Year a Better Year

6 Back Talk: New Year, New You...Be the Change

18 Top 10: In the Mood to Read

28 Dollars & $ense:Money Saving Tips from Moms Who Shop

Special Features:7 Ignite: Providing Community for the First Year of College

9 Ancient Fossil Celebrates Hope – The Ram’s Horn

15 Austinite Drew Brees:Setting Records in New Orleans

22 2009, Jesus is Mine

24 Stepping Out – In His Strength

29 No Other Answer: Judi Crowhurst’s Journey with Cancer

In Every Issue:4 Letters

5 City Scene

12 The Christian Brothers Automotive Calendar

23 Dave Says

30 The Back Pew

30 Rave Reviews

If you would like your church to be added to ourdistribution list, please send an email to

[email protected]

If you would like your church to be added to ourdistribution list, please send an email to

[email protected]

Focus Restaurant:Bella Luna p.17

Special Feature–Stepping Out-In His

Strength p.24

Special Sports Feature:Drew Brees p.15

City Scene-Jason Castro p.5

Rave Reviews-Hello Hurricane–Switchfoot p.30

Feature Story–Christian Brothers Automotive

p.25

4 www.AustinFaithandFamily.comAvailable at all HEB stores in the Greater Austin Area

Editor’sEvery month we at Austin Faith & Family try to bring something “new” and fresh

for our readers, something to inspire, something to inform and something toentertain. However, sometimes all of the old and familiar gets passed by, while

we are awaiting something new. We have several articles that occur on a month-to-month basis that we hope keep you coming back for more. Parents can gain insighton teen issues with the Generation Bridge column, and golfers can stay informed onthe latest tips or news of interest in their favorite sport, with our column by J.L. Lewis.Mommy Time with Miranda offers great ideas for moms and their kids. And if you’rein the market for a new home, or sprucing up your existing home, don’t pass upHome Front. We have many more “regular” articles, one for the college crowd, onefor leaders in our community, ladies “top ten” and many more.

While you’re ringing in the New Year, take time to read all of the special new features,as well as the familiar titles. Enjoy our cover story about a local business that is a“light” in our community. And finally, as you await a new and exciting year full ofsurprises, take time to enjoy the staples in your life, like family, love and goodreading…Cheers!

of the month

EDITOR’S NOTE Happy New Year!

Marcy LytleAustin Faith & Family

[email protected]

Dear AFF,I saw Dr. Corrigan yesterday and was most impressed. I am so glad the Lord led me to himthrough your magazine. Many thanks.

–Doug C.

Hi,I really liked the article on Manhood: A higher calling. I want to email to my nephews.

–Cathy H.

Hi Lee,I like the new design of your magazine. It is very professionally done. I hope you plan onconsistently using this format for future articles. Well done!

–Dawn L.

LETTERS

Geaux Burger is a great little spot toget an awesome burger and surf theweb or catch up on all your emails

while eating! Geaux Burger is owned by aLouisianian who attended L.S.U., and fromthe second you walk inside, you will noticethe influence this has on Geaux Burger. Inaddition to great burgers, they also havechicken sandwiches and authentic Louisianagumbo. The owner told me that hismom drove down to personally showthe cooks how to make it! I personallycan vouch for theauthenticity andgreat taste!

Stop by GeauxBurger at lunchsometime fora great burger,a bowl of hotauthentic gumboandWi-Fi!

5www.AustinFaithandFamily.com Available at all HEB stores in the Greater Austin Area

Jason Castro Kicks Off the Holiday Season at The Domain

Jason Castro, a finalist with American Idol, performed at The Domain Shopping Center onSaturday, November 21, 2009. This event kicked off the Holiday Season, which includedthe lighting of the tree in front of Macy’s, and various stores offering holiday treats. A

large crowd gathered about two hours before the actual concert, awaiting Jason’s signaturelook and voice. Jason performed several Christmas carols, as well as a couple of songs fromhis AI experience, with the crowd’s favorite being “Hallelujah”. It was also a treat to hear a songfrom Jason’s new CD Jason Castro, “Let’s Just Fall in Love Again”, as Jason hypnotized thelisteners with his alternative sound and lyrics. Check out Jason’s “I am Second” video athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrT90EgrnTc.

3rd Annual Dragons & Divas

The 3rd Annual Dragons & Divas night benefiting the Clay Madsen Foundation was heldon December 10th. There was shopping, food, a wine tasting and lots of fun! The eventwas catered by the iconic 620 Café & Bakery and local vendors and shoppers stopped

by to show their support of a good cause.

Photos by Kamrin Wolfehttp://picasaweb.google.com/kamrinmaraephotography

Lisa Blackmon, Tisha Whitt, Taylor Thiel,Jenn and Magan Thiel Tonja Hancock and Brandi Jones with

620 Cafe and Bakery

Carlos, Bobby Bones, Amy and Lunch Box

The Bobby Bones Christmas Party

If you’ve ever been in your car on the drive to work and heard the Bobby Bones Show, youalready know this show is funny, sometimes serious, sometimes a little off-color, but alwaysentertaining. I got a chance to talk with Amy, the conservative, female co-host of the Bobby

Bones Show, at the Austin Music Hall where the Bobby Bones Christmas Party was held onDec. 16. Popular bands Owl City and The Fray played to a sold out audience.

Amy has been the co-host of the Bobby Bones Show for 3 ½ years now. Amy, someone whois passionate about her faith, splits her time between North Carolina and Austin, TX. Herhusband (she met him at church here in Austin) is in the Air Force and lives in North Carolina.“Many people don’t know this, but I am actually in North Carolina doing the show from myattic half the time,” Amy told me. Amy still attends her church in North Carolina while she isthere and also attends a small church right here in Austin when she is in town.

I asked her about the challenges she faces while working with people who may not necessarilyhave the same beliefs as she does. I was particularly intrigued by the honesty of her answer.“It is such a challenge,” Amy said. “There are days I feel like I could have been stronger andstood up more for my faith than I did.” However, at the end of the day, Amy told me that whatshe wants the most is to be an example to her co-hosts and to the people who listen to theshow, especially the youth. “I want them to know that it is cool and respectful to have moralsand values.” She is an advocate of and teaches abstinence, and even volunteers at Austin LifeCare, a local pregnancy center.

Amy, Bobby Bones, Lunch Box and Carlos,the show’s producer, can all be heard from6am to 10am at 96.7 KISS FM.

Glory in the Highest Tour

Popular Christian band Shane & Shane stopped by Concordia University on the Glory inthe Highest Tour. They were joined by Bethany Dillon and Phil Wickham. .

Bethany Dillon joins Shane and Shane on stage

Josh TinneyConcordia UniversityTexas student withBethany Dillon

The FrayAustin Music Hall Marquee

Dr. Dave Haney,Sr. Pastor Riverbend with

Shane Bernard


It’s January………time to make those NewYear’s resolutions, right? Instead of vowingto work out five times a week forever, or to

never eat chocolate again, let’s look at the tophealth issues people have. Sometimes wecontinue with bad unhealthy habits becausewe don’t truly understand what they are doingto our body.

Healthy Skin: Keeping your skin healthy doesnot have to involve expensive products. Hereare some tips to help you out:

1. Protect yourself from the sun. Sun damagecauses wrinkles, age spots, freckles and skincancer. Use sunscreen and avoid the sunbetween 10am and 4pm.

2. Quit smoking. Smoking narrows the tinyblood vessels in the outermost layers of skin,which decreases blood flow. This depletes theskin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitaminA, which is important to skin health. Smokingalso damages collagen and elastin — fibersthat give your skin its strength and elasticity.

3. Be gentle to your skin. Hot water, longshowers and strong soap remove oils fromyour skin. When shaving, use shave gel,lotion or a lubricant, and shave in thedirection the hair grows. Find a moisturizerthat fits your skin type and makes your skinlook and feel soft.

4. Eat a healthy diet. Look and feel your bestby eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and lean proteins. Research suggeststhat a diet rich in vitamin C and low in fatsand carbohydrates may promote youngerlooking skin.

5. Stress can make your skin more sensitiveand trigger acne breakouts and other skinproblems. Manage your stress by settingreasonable goals, scale back your to-do listand make time to do the things you enjoy.

Physical Activity: We know exercise isimportant, so why do we struggle with stayingconsistent? Here are some facts to help yourealize just how important exercise is:

1. Improves your mood. Physical activitystimulates brain chemicals that can help youfeel happier and more relaxed than you werebefore you worked out. You can also lookbetter and feel better when you exerciseregularly, which can boost your confidence andimprove your self-esteem. Regular physicalactivity can even help prevent depression.

2. Fights Chronic Disease. Regular physicalactivity can help you prevent or manage highblood pressure and cholesterol, lower thebuildup of plaques in your arteries and help

you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosisand certain types of cancer.

3. Manages your weight.

4. Boosts your energy level. Physical activitydelivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues.Regular physical activity helps your entirecardiovascular system (the circulation of bloodthrough your heart and blood vessels) workmore efficiently. When your heart and lungswork more efficiently, you'll have more energyto do the things you enjoy.

5. Helps you sleep better. Regular physicalactivity can help you fall asleep faster anddeepen your sleep.

Quit Smoking: We know the obvious reasonsto quit smoking, but here are some you maynot be aware of:

1. Smoking speeds up mental declineincluding alzheimer’s, dementia and strokes.

2. Exposure to tobacco smoke may increasea baby’s risk of colic. Smoking appears to raiselevels of a gut hormone called motilin in theblood and intestines. Motilin increases thecontractions of the stomach and intestines,increasing the movement of food through thegut, causing pain.

3. Increased Risk of Impotence. Men whosmoke more than a pack a day are 60% morelikely to suffer erectile dysfunction, comparedwith men who never smoked cigarettes.

4. Increased risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

5. Snoring. Even nonsmokers are more likelyto snore if they are exposed to secondhandsmoke in their homes.

6. Acid reflux or heartburn. People who smokefor more than 20 years are 70% more likely tohave acid reflux disease than nonsmokers.

7. Breast cancer. Those at greatest risk:Women who started smoking before age 20,who began smoking at least five years beforetheir first full-term pregnancy, and who havesmoked for longer periods of time or smoked20 or more cigarettes per day.

Hopefully you can see the importance ofliving a healthy lifestyle and start makingchanges that will last a lifetime, not just forthis New Year.

Lauren LacyFitness Coordinator

CHASCO Family YMCA

Each year millions of people make NewYear’s resolutions and each year millionsfail to accomplish the desired results.

Why is this? Because a resolution representschange, something many people are resistantto…in fact, some even fear it. Positive changesare never easy, but will always result in personalgrowth. We must strive to be like Jesus, right?“Be” is who you are, not merely how you act; itis what drives your actions. Let’s consider theBE-DO-HAVE concept, which states that inorder to achieve a desired result you must BEthe type of person who will DO the thingsnecessary to HAVE the desired outcome. Mostpeople fall into the trap of attempting tochange their actions (DO) without first changingwho they are and how they think (BE).

For example, have you ever had a resolution thatinvolved trying some new fad diet? You mayhave been successful in the short term, butchances are you reached your goal and the dietwent out the door, and the pounds came backon. This is a classic example of trying to modifyyour actions without changing who you are andhow you think. You must first BE the type ofperson that will commit to DOING what isnecessary toHAVE lasting change.Here are threetools that will lead you along the path of success:

AffirmationsAffirmations are positive statements thatstimulate your mind with an attitude ofexpectancy and are your opportunity tocondition yourself to be exactly who you wantto be. Examples include: “I can do anything Iwant to do!”, “I am a happy person!”, “I amworthy of success!”, and “I am healthy!”Affirmations should always be written andshould support whatever it is that you areworking towards. They should be written infirst person and in present tense. For example“I am…” vs. “I will…” Affirmations are bestdone at the beginning of your day and shouldbe carried around with you as a reminder, and

most importantly they should be said aloudwith enthusiasm!

Goal SettingGoal setting is a powerful tool that you can useto help achieve your resolutions. The numberone rule of goal setting is that your goals mustbe written. Writing your goals will materializeyour thoughts… and thoughts motivate action.A useful acronym to help with goal setting isS.M.A.R.T. Make your goals Specific (you aremore likely to achieve a specific goal than ageneral goal), Measurable (must have criteriafor measuring progress), Attainable (Make sureyou have or are developing the attitudes,abilities, skills, and financial capacity necessaryfor achieving your goal), Realistic (mustrepresent an objective that you are willing andable to work towards), and Timely (must have atimeframe for accomplishing your goal).

VisualizationVisualization is a process of holding a thoughtin your mind and allowing it to propagate intoa mental picture that you can see, hear, feel,smell, and even taste. If you visualize yourselfachieving your goals, you are more likely to besuccessful. Implementing these tools andconcepts will help you not only achieve, butsustain your New Year’s resolutions.

January is in fulleffect now and it istime for thesechanges to occur.My hope is that youwill utilize and sharethis information withothers so that wemay all BE thechange we wish tosee in the world.

Dr. Tuggle(512) 257-2225

HHeeaalltthhyy NNeeww YYeeaarr !! Make This Year a Better Year! New Year, New You…Be the Change!


Knowing the direction to take and how tobecome involved in The University ofTexas is an important question for

incoming freshmen. Ignite is a student-ledorganization that provides a four-day retreat fornew students to welcome them into theChristian community at UT. The staff membersbelieve that strong relationships built on Christare essential in order to encourage spiritualgrowth in college. They take many steps tointroduce the campers to ministries in Austin,with the goal of worshiping God. Ignite alsohelps these freshmen establish friendships witheach other and with staff members that canserve as their mentors throughout thefollowing year, in order to edify and encourageeveryone involved.

Ignite was founded in September 2002 underthe name Hook Up, as a product of themission statement for Texas A&M's Impact. In2007, the organization's name was changed toIgnite to better fit their mission statement andvision. Currently, there are four additionalImpact/Ignite style organizations located atother college campuses. Foundation is locatedat Texas Tech, Crossroads is located atSouthern Methodist University, Connection islocated at Oklahoma State University, andRooted is located at the University of Missouri.

Weekly prayer meetings and eventsthroughout the year help Ignite prepare forthe incoming freshmen retreat, held in August

of each year. Ignite receives no funding from the University of Texas, so various fundraisersare held throughout the school year, such asbasketball and volleyball tournaments, tocover the expenses of the retreat. Ignite alsorelies heavily on church and individualsupport, as these donations make up 40% oftheir fundraising goal each year.

This past August, the Ignite retreat wasattended by over 70 freshmen whoparticipated in fun games, biblical challenges,and entertaining events. Each night includedone of Ignite’s traditional events, such asGrade School Night (90’s music, friendshipbracelets, four-square), Open Mic Night, and the Edification Candle Ceremony. There wasalso a Ministry Fair, which gave the freshmenan opportunity to speak to representativesfrom a variety of campus ministries to learnhow to become involved in the Body of Christat UT. Ignite 2009 was a huge success, andthe staff members cannot wait to see “all theawesome things that God has in store forIgnite 2010!”

For more information on Ignite, its goals, thestaff members, and the retreat for next year,visit their website at www.ignitetexas.org, orcontact Director Kelly Lewis [email protected] are also Ignitevideos available on Youtube. The next camp isscheduled for August 12-15, 2010 at HighlandLakes Camp & Conference Center inSpicewood, Texas.

Chelsea Belote

SPECIAL FEATUREProviding Community for the First Year of College


When I sat down with Landon Wilsonon a cold Friday morning I didn’tknow what to expect. I had never

met a hockey player, and if I just judged thegame of hockey by the highlight reels I’d seenon the sports channel, I would have expectedthings to be a lot different!

The first thing I noticed was a shirt with somearrows and weird symbols on it, which I had never seen before. I asked Wilson what hisshirt meant. He proceeded to tell me how the arrow pointing down represented Christ coming to earth, the other symbolsrepresented His death and resurrection;

and the last arrow represented the return ofChrist for His people. I knew from that instant that I could throw any preconceivednotion I may have about hockey players rightout the window.

Wilson is the Texas Stars Team Captain. “It isimportant for me to lead by example andalways be there for my teammates both on andoff the ice,” Wilson told me. “I have beenplaced here for a reason, to be there for themin all aspects of the game.”

Wilson, the son of a professional hockey coach,and professional player for 15 years, is nostranger to the celebrity status that can comewith professional sports. When asked what hethought of the status that the world cansometimes place on him, he says, “There wasonly one man who ever walked the earthwithout sin. I am humbled because of Him, sothe celebrity status does not affect me. I careabout what that little kid thinks about me andstrive to be an example for them.”

Wilson is injured right now, but soon you’ll be ableto see him on the ice again. He is number 22.

Lee Eddins

Texas Stars Team Captain:Landon Wilson

PlayerProfile: PlayerProfile: PlayerProfile:


The ram’s horn oysters are ancientfossilized oysters found in ancientPalestine (Bethlehem) as well as here in

Central Texas and other places in the world.As their name implies, they resemble the hornof a ram, which symbolizes authority andstrength as it is found in the book of Genesis,referring to the sacrificial ram (the ram thatGod provided Abraham in the stead of Isaac).The ancient Greeks believed that the ram’shorn brought great wealth and abundance, asdid the Pilgrims in the guise of a cornucopia.

The New Year is a great time to give thanksto God for receiving His abundant blessings.Such an attitude of thanksgiving andgratitude is best expressed by giving of ourown abundance to others. This is the mainidea behind the H.O.P.e Stone (individuallypolished and pouched Ram’s Horn Oysters forpersonal inspiration).

The H.O.P.e Stone, also known as the Horn-of-Plenty, is a symbol of abundance, gratitudeand charity. When these oysters were alive(over 100 million years ago), they were livingexamples of unselfish giving and sacrifice tocommunity, for their common-unity as anoyster reef. The oysters produced strongcalcium cement enabling them to bond withtheir neighbors while elder oysters providedfoundational strength and support for the restof the reef colony. Each oyster of the colony

connected to its neighbor, forming a unifiedmass that could not be moved, and they arestill well-preserved as fossils to this day.Oysters even gave to those outside theircolony, by providing food and shelter forother sea organisms.

Before they were fossils, these ram’s hornoysters could also create things of beauty.Each oyster had the ability to take anuncomfortable grain of sand and transform itinto a beautiful, precious pearl. Just as in ourlives, we all have the ability to transformnegative thoughts and actions into positiveones. Visit www.unshelfish.com to see an arrayof unique pearl inlaid H.O.P.e Stone jewelrythat you can wear as a reminder of this.

These ancient creatures can teach us a lot.They reinforce the ideas of abundance,gratitude and giving (especially during thisholiday season) through the unearthedfossilized shells we call H.O.P.e Stones. Thesestones are visual reminders of our own hope,family and community, bringing gratitude andblessings to all whose faith is encouraged.Visit www.unshelfish.com to order your veryown H.O.P.e Stone or give one as a gift to aperson that needs a little inspiration. And, inthe spirit of giving, 20% of all H.O.P.e Stonesales will go to charitable organizations.

Marcy Lytle

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A ROMANTICGETAWAY FOR TWO. No phone calls,no email, no lists of things-to-do;

instead, it’s just you and your loved oneenjoying the magical thrill of being away fromit all. Imagine escaping to the sun-filled shoresof a tranquil tropical paradise or discoveringthe sights and sounds of numerous exoticdestinations as you cruise around at sea. Withyour day-to-day routines out of sight and outof mind, you’ll rediscover all the reasons youfell in love in the first place. Romance awaitsyou……….what are you waiting for?

FIRST STEP: PICK A VENUENothing sets the stage for romance likepicking the perfect destination that fits yourstyle. Are you an adventurous couple thatwould enjoy hiking, biking or scaling wallstogether? Perhaps, sitting by the pool at aresort suits you best or a storybook castlesetting. Of course, many would argue thatcruising is the most romantic getaway outthere. Not sure what style you are? Let aTravel Agent help guide you to finding yourown perfect destination.

SECOND STEP: MAKE IT SPECIAL• Contact your hotel or resort ahead of timeand arrange to have flowers and champagnewaiting in your room upon arrival.

• Book a couples massage at the hotel spa ononboard ship the first day of your getaway. Itwill immediately put you in the mood for arelaxed vacation together.

• Stay in one night and order room service. A brunch on your veranda or a candlelightdinner with music will make for anunforgettable experience. (Most cruise shipsinclude room service for no additional charge).

• Try an activity at your destination that is newto both of you. Getting out of your comfortzone and exploring something new will helpyou see one another in a new light and willremind you of all of the reasons you fell in lovein the first place.

• If this is a second honeymoon, considerrenewing your marriage vows. Many resorts andcruise lines can arrange the details no matterhow simple or extravagant you want to be.

THIRD STEP: MAKE IT REGULARThe importance and success of having aromantic vacation getaway is not how muchyou spend. What is important is that you andyour special someone actually spend qualitytime together, with no worries of all yourhousehold chores, office work, children andpets. It's the idea of being together,undisturbed, that can achieve the objective ofa romantic vacation getaway, which is to fosterif not reignite your relationship.

An annual romantic getaway can be as simpleas a long weekend one year, and a weeklong vacation the next year. It is important tokeep in mind your budget. No one wants tospend a romantic getaway in a tiny motel withnothing to do. So, save your money, and seekout a Travel Agent that can assist with all theaspects. They will handle all the details to plana fun and intimate romantic getaway and youcan just relax and enjoy one another.

Debby Stevens | 3D Cruise and [email protected]

TRAVEL

Romance for Two

SPECIAL FEATUREAncient Fossil Celebrates Hope – The Ram’s Horn

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FEATURE STORY

JAN CALENDAR

12 www.cba-austin.com Available at all HEB stores in the Greater Austin Area

Caring for the Family–Caring for the Family car

January calendar brought to you by Christian Brothers Automotive

FRIDAY 01Schlitterbahn's Hill Country Christmas: 5pm-10 pmat Schlitterbahn. Holiday warmth returns withSchlitterbahn Hill Country Christmas. 1.5 millionlights, Alpine Slide, Gingerbread Playland, andincredible skating rink.

SATURDAY 02Hot Art Hip Kids: 1pm-4pm at Blanton Museum ofArt. Families are invited to explore ideas about lightand nature through unique art installations andsculptures by contemporary artists.

Schlitterbahn's Hill Country Christmas: 5pm-10 pmat Schlitterbahn. Holiday warmth returns withSchlitterbahn Hill Country Christmas. 1.5 millionlights, Alpine Slide, Gingerbread Playland, andincredible skating rink.

SUNDAY 03Hot Art Hip Kids: 1pm - 4 pm at Blanton Museumof Art. Families are invited to explore ideas aboutlight and nature through unique art installations andsculptures by contemporary artists.

Schlitterbahn's Hill Country Christmas: 5pm-10 pmat Schlitterbahn. Holiday warmth returns withSchlitterbahn Hill Country Christmas. 1.5 millionlights, Alpine Slide, Gingerbread Playland, andincredible skating rink.

MONDAY 04Austin Cycling Association: 6:30 pm at Rio GrandeMexican Restaurant. Elliott McFadden is a cyclingblogger and he maintains the most comprehensivecycling calendar in Central Texas. Hear what Elliotthas to say about bike culture and trends in our city.

"Stay Fit While You Sit": 7pm at Austin PublicLibrary , Windsor Park Branch. Foundation forWellness Professionals presents aspects of howthose who sit throughout much of the day canprevent or reduce the incidence of back problems,neck problems, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

WEDNESDAY 06High Noon Talk: House of Plenty: the Rise, Fall, andRevival of Luby's Cafeterias–12pm-1pm at BobBullock Texas State History. Have you everconsidered the story behind the cafeteria line? JoinCarol Dawson, author for a look at the history of theLuby's name and its long-standing relationship withand impact on the state of Texas.

Salon Ciao Bella's Open House and RibbonCutting: 4:30 pm - 7 pm at Salon Ciao Bella. Comejoin Salon Ciao Bella in celebrating its induction intothe Round Rock Chamber of Commerce.

THURSDAY 07First Thursday: Seven galleries along W. 6th Streetoffer wine and art until 8p.m., AND S. Congressfeatures music, vendors and store activities.

SATURDAY 09Applebee's Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast:8am-10am at Applebees in Killeen. Come out andhave breakfast in support of National TransplantAssistance Fund in honor of Brandi Benger.

SUNDAY 10"New Year, New You": 1pm-5:30pm at BartonCreek Spa and Resort.

Science Sunday: Westcave Preserve–3pm-5pm atAustin Children's Museum. Hands on scienceactivities led by Westcave Preserve.

MONDAY 11Chiquititos Spanish Workshops: 10am-10:50am atAustin Children's Museum. Infants, Toddlers andPre-K can learn Spanish through songs, playinggames, and creating artistic projects.

TUESDAY 12Hyde Park Theatre FronteraFest: A 'fringe theatre'festival begins, with a potpourri of theater, comedy,dancing and musical pieces.

WEDNESDAY 13Suenos Realizados Storytime (Dreams Come True):Times vary at Austin Children's Museum. Joineducators in the En Mi Familia exhibit on Sundaysand Wednesdays for a bilingual storytime, featuringbooks written by Carmen Lomas Garza.

THURSDAY 1472nd Annual Blanco County Youth Livestock Showat Blanco County Fairgrounds.

Expert Gardening Association of WilliamsonCertification Course: 1pm-5pm at CentralMaintenance Facility. The Expert GardenerCertification Class is designed as horticulturaltraining for volunteers interested in giving back totheir community.

Get Smart 2010: Wisdom Across the Ages "Cross-Generational Conversations" 8am-1pm at HotelHilton Downtown. The annual Get Smart 2010event includes a morning of interactive presentationsdesigned to inspire, educate and motivate.

Weight Loss Surgery Seminars: 6pm-7pm at St.David's Georgetown Hospital. The seminar isdesigned for those who are preparing for weightloss surgery or need more info and options tochange their lifestyles.

FRIDAY 1572nd Annual Blanco County Youth Livestock Showat Blanco County Fairgrounds.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenburg, violin: 8pm at Michaeland Susan Dell Hall with the Austin Symphony.

SATURDAY 1672nd Annual Blanco County Youth Livestock Showat Blanco County Fairgrounds.

Austin Shrine Circus: Times vary at Cedar ParkCenter. For the past 61 years, the Ben Hur Shrinershave brought the Shrine circus to the Austin area asa major fundraiser for the local non-profit fraternityand operations of the local Shrine Center.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenburg, violin: 8pm at Michaeland Susan Dell Hall with the Austin Symphony.

SUNDAY 17Austin Shrine Circus: Times vary at Cedar ParkCenter. For the past 61 years, the Ben Hur Shrinershave brought the Shrine circus to the Austin area asa major fundraiser for the local non-profit fraternityand operations of the local Shrine Center.

Suenos Realizados Storytime (Dream Comes True):Times vary at Austin Children's Museum. Joineducators in the En Mi Familia exhibit on Sundaysand Wednesday for a bilingual storytime, featuringbooks written by Carmen Lomas Garza.

MONDAY 18Austin Shrine Circus: Times vary at Cedar ParkCenter. For the past 61 years, the Ben Hur Shrinershave brought the Shrine circus to the Austin area asa major fundraiser for the local non-profit fraternityand operations of the local Shrine Center.

MLK March & Community Festival: March from theUT Campus to the Capitol, then to Huston-TillotsonUniversity for a festival. www.mlkcelebration.com

TUESDAY 19"5 Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss": 7pm atAustin Public Library, North Village Branch. Thisworkshop will be given by Foundation for WellnessProfessionals. Participants of this workshop willlearn why calorie counting doesn't lead topermanent weight loss, how eating healthier leadsto a greater sense of well being.

WEDNESDAY 20Suenos Realizados Storytime (Dream Comes True):Times vary at Austin Children's Museum. Joineducators in the En Mi Familia exhibit on Sundaysand Wednesday for a bilingual storytime, featuringbooks written by Carmen Lomas Garza.

13www.cba-austin.com Available at all HEB stores in the Greater Austin Area

FRIDAY 22"The Elephant Man": The Emily Ann Theatre andGardens in Wimberley. A timeless, moving, andutterly astounding play that won a Tony award.

SATURDAY 23"The Elephant Man": The Emily Ann Theatre andGardens in Wimberley. A timeless, moving, andutterly astounding play that won a Tony award.

"Natural Solutions to Headache Pain": 2pm atAustin Public Library, Milwood Branch. Foundationfor Wellness Professionals gives a presentation thatwas designed to educate the audience about thedifferent types of headaches, what causes them,how to prevent them, and safe, natural and effectivealternatives to treating them.

SUNDAY 24CampFire Skate Night: 5:30pm at Playland SkateCenter. CampFire USA provides all-inclusive,coeducational youth development programs forages 3-17. Come skate and learn more.

"The Elephant Man": The Emily Ann Theatre andGardens in Wimberley. A timeless, moving, andutterly astounding play that won a Tony award.


MONDAY 25Chiquititos Spanish Workshops: 10am-10:50am atAustin Children's Museum. Infants, Toddlers andPre-K can learn Spanish through songs, playinggames, and creating artistic projects.

TUESDAY 26"Encountering the World of Islam": 6:30 pm-9:30 pmat High Pointe Baptist Church. 14 week course toteach believers about Islam and equip them to reachout to their Muslim neighbors with gospel of Christ.

WEDNESDAY 27Suenos Realizados Storytime (Dream Comes True):Times vary at Austin Children's Museum. Joineducators in the En Mi Familia exhibit on Sundaysand Wednesday for a bilingual storytime, featuringbooks written by Carmen Lomas Garza.

Taste of Austin: Nonprofit fundraiser at PalmerEvents Center–over 50 tastes of local restaurants.

THURSDAY 28Jason Aldean in Concert: 7pm-10pm at Cedar ParkCenter. Country musician Jason Aldean with specialguest Luke Bryan will be in Cedar Park for one night only.

FRIDAY 29"The Dixie Swim Club": 8pm at The Sam BassTheatre. Five southern women set aside a longweekend every August to recharge their relationships.


Harlem Globetrotters 2010 World Tour: 7pm atThe Frank Erwin Center.

Long Center Presents: The Capitol Steps at TheLong Center - Enjoy a dose of humor and musicalmadness. Parodies of popular American songs withpolitical humor that rivals Saturday Night Live.

Spring Home & Garden Show: More than 200exhibitors at the Austin Convention Center

SATURDAY 30AirFair: Museum Hours at Austin Children'sMuseum. You can't see it. You can't always feel it,but you can experiment with it in the feature exhibit.

"The Dixie Swim Club": 8pm at The Sam BassTheatre. Five southern women set aside a longweekend every August to recharge their relationships.


SUNDAY 31AirFair: Museum Hours at Austin Children'sMuseum. You can't see it. You can't always feel it,but you can experiment with it in the feature exhibit.

"The Dixie Swim Club": 8pm at The Sam BassTheatre. Five southern women set aside a longweekend every August to recharge their relationships.


Expert Gardening Association of WilliamsonCertification Course: 1pm-5pm at CentralMaintenance Facility. The Expert GardenerCertification Class is designed as horticulturaltraining for volunteers interested in giving back totheir community.


Student of the Month

Lauren Campbell is a junior at WestwoodHigh School, where she is a member ofthe Show Choir, and also participates in

PROS (People Reaching Out and Sharing), agroup of students that mentor kids who arestruggling in their school work, by being theirfriend and helping them out.

I recently heard the Westwood Choir performa Christmas concert, and Lauren and theothers did an outstanding job, receiving greatapplause from the audience, as the songswere performed flawlessly, with emotion,producing a great holiday sound. Laurensings (and smiles beautifully) alto, and says,“Singing makes me happy, so I enjoy sharingwhat makes me happy with others, hoping tobring them happiness too.”

Lauren is the daughter of Dan & ShelleyCampbell, and attends church at New HopeCommunity Church, where she is involved as astudent youth leader in the youth group there.She attends leadership meetings weekly, plansevents for the kids and is a leader of a Biblebuddy group, where mini lessons are taught toa few kids each week. Lauren says, “I likehelping plan ways to reach out, and I try to bean example for younger kids.”

Lauren brings a lot of joy to her community offellow students, and says her faith in God helpsher keep a positive outlook on life; and itmotivates her to be a light to those around her.

Marcy Lytle

!!DON’T MISS

Capitol Steps began when a coupleof Senate staffers set out to satirizethe people and places that

employed them. Since then, they havebecome very popular all over the country,performing their unique political satire infront of live audiences. Don't Miss thisvery entertaining perspective on currentpolitics in these United States. They putthe MOCK in Democracy!

2010


The game of golf has turned into anenormously popular sport over theyears, and has given rise to numerous

golf courses scattered across the world. Chinais an effective example of the exceptionalgrowth of the game. The first golf course wasopened in China in the mid 1980’s and by2005 there were 200 operating courses! Withwell over 32,000 golf courses on the planetand many more in the early stages ofdevelopment, choosing the greatest golf

courses in the world is nearly impossible. After doing a bit of research, though, there issome agreement as to a few of the mostmagnificent golf courses ever built. Some ofthe courses we found that were at the top ofmany charts were Valderrama in Spain,Muirfield Golf Course in Scotland, Cabo DelSol in Mexico (a Nicklaus design), Turnberry inScotland, Leopard Creek in South Africa (thisone runs alongside a wildlife conservationarea!), and in the United States; AugustaNational Golf Club, Cypress Point Club, PineValley Golf Club, Pebble Beach Golf Links,and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. This is ofcourse just a scratch at the surface of theenormous amount of great golf courses.

The first golf courses were built in Scotland, andwere primarily laid out on links land, which is soilcovered sand dunes directly inland frombeaches. This gave rise to the term golf links,particularly applied to seaside courses and

those built on naturally sandy soil inland. This brings us to one of the best and oldest golfcourses known to the game of the golf, and oneof the feature courses for this newsletter, St.Andrews Old Course in Scotland. St. Andrewsis where the game of golf originated and caneasily be called the spiritual home of golf.

There are seven St. Andrews links courses, butthe Old Course is by far the most well known.This old course is recognized as the mostfamous of links on the planet and boastssome of the biggest greens in the world.There are sand bunkers that were once a partof the natural landscape which abound onevery hole. The course was not exactlydesigned by any one person, but evolvedover the centuries, being shaped by thenatural surroundings and years of play. OldTom Morris helped to make the greens andcourse smoother and gave his helping handat designing the first hole and the 18th green.

The course is rich with history. According togolf legend, the course was played as early asthe 12th Century and the Swilcan bridge onthe Old Course is believed to have been builtby the Romans. In 1764, the standard 18-holeround of golf was established at St. Andrews.Great golf legends throughout the ages haveplayed on the course. There have been 27British Open Championships held there. Theold familiar golf course is entrancing andbeautiful, with a sweeping view of the NorthSea coast, and even after 600 years, remainsa true test of championship golf.

Although there is a waiting list to play, theLinks at St. Andrews are open to the publicand available for anyone who wants toexperience golf at one of the most legendarygolf destinations in the world.

Golf Tips From the Tour with J.L. Lewis

Great Golf Courses of the World – St. Andrews, Old Course in ScotlandJ.L. Lewis, PGA

By: J.L. Lewis


Listening to the heart cry of this generationand coaching them to believe nothing isimpossible is a key to our successful

transformation of hopeless lives.

On September 11, 2001, Larry Ball, ExecutiveDirector of Hungry for God Home, was housingtwo young runaways from New York City.

This experience impacted Larry’s life greatlyand he knew he had to do more. Afterpassing a cross marker on Hwy 71 every day,indicating where a young man Larry met hadbeen killed, Larry was reminded, “We mustnot give up the fight to save lives.” He wantedto be a part of the solution to helping ourhomeless youth, not a part of the problem.

Just handing money to kids on the streetsoften ends up in these youth spending themoney on unhealthy lifestyles, instead ofusing the money to get off the streets.

Since 2003, Hungry for God Home hashoused over 250 youth, including those whohave aged out of foster care and need a stable home (ages 17-24), those hopelessyoung men who need help, healing andhope. Many of these young men who weredropouts have now become valedictorians.

Many fatherless boys have become faithfulfathers and numerous runaways have beenrestored back to their homes. Juvenileoffenders have graduated off parole and givenback to their community through volunteeringand helping others, and addicts are being setfree! Hungry for God Home has been stated asbeing “a safe place for fatherless young mento start living their dreams.”

Hungry for God Home provides many thingsfor the young men who stay there: help withbasic needs (housing, bus passes, schoolsupplies, sheets, towels, photo ID’s, etc.),healing (life skills coaching, counseling foranger, addiction, abuse, etc.), hope(preparations to return home or liveindependently, job readiness and training, etc.)

Hungry for God Home is funded throughsponsorships from individuals and organizations.$50 provides three bus passes, school suppliesor a survival kit. $500 provides covering for onemonth. $5000 provides hope for five youngmen with one month of housing, healing andhope. Just 100 people giving $1 a day wouldmeet the current monthly budget at Hungry forGod Home. Volunteers and In Kind gifts are welcome. Every gift transforms lives.www.hungryforgodhome.org

Marcy Lytle

FOCUS : NONPROFITnonprofitHungry for God Home – “Redirecting the Lives of Fatherless Young Men”

Larry Ball Thanks to a native of Westlake HighSchool from right here in Austin,Texas, a record has been set for the

New Orleans Saints! Since the NewOrleans Saints' inception, they have neverbeen 13-0. In fact, there have only beenseven teams in the history of the NFL toever reach 13-0 in a season, and ourAustin native has helped the Saintsbecome one of them! The Saints have oneof the most well put-together teams, andthis young man is among a group of greattalent. Brees has certainly made his markin the NFL, and many Austin natives arevery proud of him and happy to see himdoing well. Austin Faith & Family will keepyou updated on the career of AustiniteDrew Brees! Who Dat!

Lee Eddins

SPECIAL SPORTSFEATURE

Photo Courtsey of:

Michael C. Hebert/New Orleans Saints


Still find yourself wondering what youwanna be when you grow up? Let mesave you some pointless grief,

frustration and tuition – no school on theplanet is going to equip you for the adventureGod has planned for you. There is, however,another area of higher education that exists,which can help you better wrestle with thedreadful process of finding meaning in life.Though I warn you, students at this universitymust be willing to cope with ‘unconventional’and not be afraid of ‘radical’. There are alsono scholarships since the concept ofsomeone deserving a free ride does not existhere. And what I love most is how simple theapplication process is. There is only onequestion on the entire form!

Question 1 of 1:Do you trust Me?

Similar to most essay questions there is a‘(please explain your answer)’ below thatrequires you to give evidence behind yourstatement. I’ll give you another warning here;the Dean at this school is REALLY good atdetecting bull.

Upon getting accepted, you receive yoursyllabus which appears overwhelming at first.I made a copy ofmine so you can takea look:

My plan for your lifeInstructor: I AMOffice Hours: 24/7

Requirements: Students must setthe captives free bysharing the goodnews everywhere they go. Students must alsopursue justice in the following areas – TheNeedy, Fatherless, Weak, Prisoners,Oppressed, Widows and Aliens. Ongoingcommunication with the instructor is highlyencouraged.

There are 66 books on the reading list, butthe cool part is that they are all boundtogether for easy access. Joy, peace, hope,love, adventure and suspense along withpain, suffering, and persecution await you oncampus. Oh, and you also can’t graduate untilyou die. Sounds scary I know, but to help putthings in perspective one former student(Paul) is quoted as saying: “I consider that ourpresent sufferings are not worth comparingwith the glory that will be revealed in us.”Trusting God with all he had, he also stated:“But whatever was to my profit I now consider

loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, Iconsider everything a loss compared to thesurpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesusmy Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” He later went on to graduate at the top of his class and leave behind a legacy that has neverbeen forgotten.

So, back to this question of what you wannabe when you grow up. Hmmm. Well Isuppose you can continue crafting this planfor your life as you go. No need to rush intoanything - you have plenty of time to figurethings out, right? As long as you are happythat’s all that really matters I guess. Just keepyour chin up and think positive, you’lldiscover what you were made to do at somepoint hopefully.

But then again, there is this one naggingvoice that follows us around and spits in ourear every now and then whispering ‘what if ’to us before quickly fading away in the noiseof life. What if your plan in life is wrong?What if you are missing out on much of whatyou were created to do? Is that a risk you arewilling to take?

I hate that voice because it’sso often right!

Don’t kick yourself too hard.A new year means a newsemester in life. It’s not toolate to enroll at Trust GodUniversity. You have theapplication and syllabusalready….classes begin assoon as you decide to listenand obey.

Joe Elliott

20 Words has a dual meaning: It speaks to the20-something crowd and highlights 20 wordsthat send a message.

The University Where God Intended You to Go

Advertise in the AFF February Issue!

Call us today for details!(512) 689-2717


Momm

y Time with M

irandaMomm

y Time with M

iranda

Secrets to Keeping Your Resolutions

The New Year’s Resolution Movement,one of the oldest traditions known toman, dates as far back as the

Babylonians. As we all know, it’s a time whenwe welcome the New Year by making acommitment to either ourselves or others.Still, we rarely stick with our promise, which isa disappointment to whomever the promisewas made.

One study showed that while more than halfof all Americans make New Year’s resolutions,only 22 percent of them attempt to keepthem, with men being the leaders among thisgroup. But if we fail in our attempt to stickwith our resolutions, just what kind ofmessage are we sending our kids? This is oneparticular time of year when the meaning of promise-keeping can be taught and,moreover, demonstrated.

Keep it simple and make it publicSome argue that the secret comes in keepingresolutions simple and easily attainable,especially if the person has a history of failing,in regards to such self-imposed promises.

Another tip towards keeping a resolution ismaking it public. The study mentioned aboveshowed that women only made up 10 percentof those who fulfilled their resolutions. Theysucceeded mainly when they enlisted the helpof friends or announced their resolutions in agroup of peers and family, thus keeping thepressure of accountability hovering over them.

Start ‘em youngIt’s possible that the reason many fall short inthe resolutions department is because westarted way too late. As adults, we fall intocertain personality patterns, one of which maybe a lack of follow through. By guiding ourchildren to choose a goal for themselves, wemay not only be encouraging the formationof “sticktoitiveness”, but we may beestablishing a built-in motivational system forourselves. After all, if our 5-year-old daughtercan commit to not biting her nails, then wecan certainly give up soft drinks, right?

It’s a family thingChoosing a family-oriented resolution,instead of a solitary one, might also beanother key to success. Establishing a familyactivity such as running or bike riding as aweight loss solution could add to the funvalue, as well as the motivational aspect.

Less is moreOpting to choose more than one resolutionto achieve in shorter spurts can help theunderachieving resolution-maker. Instead oflosing 50 pounds, perhaps it’s better to startby walking once a week for a month,increasing increments as the year progresses.The pounds will then just follow and thefeeling of disappointment is less. In essence,you have achieved a goal and even exceededit by miles. The same can go for your children.Instead of making an A in a subject wherethey struggle, perhaps just improving oneassignment at a time is more achievable.

Review your successJust like when we are in school, seeing aprogress report can be an encouragingincentive to staying the course. Setting short“review” periods for yourself can help youdetermine just how far you have come in yourcommitment. You may even considercelebrating a strong track record with aspecial treat or outing with friends. Resolutions don’t have to be scary or evenfrustrating. They are, instead, a positive wayto celebrate a new year, cleaning the slateand starting over. It’s also a great way toremind oneself that a promise is a promise,even if it’s a secret one to you.

Miranda N. Bradley

Bella Luna –A Little Piece of Italy in North Austin

In Italy, there is a saying that describes thedevotion that many businesses live by,"L'occhio del padrone ingrassa il cavallo." It

means, "Nobody takes care of one's businessas does its owner", and at Bella Luna, this iswhat they live by. Many restaurants now are socorporatized that a little piece of theauthenticity and the “personality”, whichmakes these restaurants appealing, is lost withevery new location, new district manager andnew position filled to accommodate thegrowth of the company.

At Bella Luna, the difference between arestaurant that has become the corporateentity and one that is personally run by itsowners, both with over 10 years of experiencein running a restaurant, is evidenced by itsatmosphere, authentic Italian food andpersonal touch that only the owner would beable to offer. Mekat and Nezriaj both know thatno one could run their business like they do,and this is why there is a very good chance thatone of them will be by your table withsomething you ordered, during your visit toBella Luna.

There is an extensive pasta selection at BellaLuna. All of their pasta is made in house. I hadthe Shrimp Scampi when I ate there. Being avery big seafood fan of especially shrimp, I canhonestly say it was the best Scampi I have evereaten. There were six or seven very largeshrimp, and the Scampi had the perfectamount of garlic - not too much but enough tobe noticed.

Bella Luna also has a large variety of chicken,seafood and pizza. They even have a specialtypizza maker who hand tosses all of the pizza toorder. They don’t have anything canned, aseverything at Bella Luna is made fresh! I amsure you will enjoy Bella Luna just as much as Idid when I took my wife out for dinner there.With Valentine’s Day only a little more than amonth away, this would be a great place foryou to take your sweetheart. Authentic Italianfare, an extensive wine list and an atmospherethat will transplant you from north Austin to alittle piece of Italy… what more could youwant? Let them know that Lee sent you!

Lee Eddins

FOCUS : RESTAURANTSrestaurants

Bella Luna-Outside

Ben cooking a Bella Luna specialty

Toni Hoti-Specialty Pizza Maker

Tim Nezriaj and Tom Mekaj, owners of Bella Luna

Ben Shala-Executive

Chef at Bella Luna

Bella Luna-Outside Marquee


In the Mood to ReadTOP10

January…the month after all of theholiday busyness is over, the weather iscold and we’re in the “mood” to read.

But what book? To offer you a choice, belowis a list of ten books read by women like you.Hopefully you’ll find one or two, or maybeseveral, books you’d like to include in yourquiet time by the fire…

1A Voice in the Wind, the first book of theseries The Mark of the Lion, by Francine

Rivers – This is a fiction book about threepeople in very different places in life living inAncient Rome shortly after Jesus was crucified.One is a Jewish girl, one is an arrogant son of awealthy man, and the third is a German warrior.My favorite character is Hadassah, the humbleJewish girl, who is kind to those who are cruelto her. (Alice Spelce)

2Isaac’s Storm, by Erik Larson – This book isfilled with history about Isaac’s life, the 1900

hurricane in Galveston and history aboutweather forecasting. “I could feel the horrors ofthe ordeal”, the book was so well-written. Thisbook was fabulous. If you want to read a fullsummary, go to:http://www.essays.cc/free_essays/d3/wur118.shtml(Lydia Braddock)

3How to Stay a Christian in High School, bySteve Gerali – This book is aimed at

encouraging Christian high school students torethink their identity and focus on how Jesuscan affect their lives today. The author focuseson the lives of six teenagers in the Bible, with amodern day context. (Peggy Yammine)

4Age of Opportunity, by Paul David Tripp –This book cut through my defenses and

spoke deeply to my heart regarding myparenting. The message is full of conviction andhope. I have spent time and energy trying tochange my kids, but now realize God ispatiently waiting to change me. (Cindy Ryan)

5Divine, by Karen Kingsbury, a Christiannonfiction book – This is a book that made

a profound impact on me. The main characteris a counselor to abused women. The bookdetails the counselor's own traumatic storywhich she is sharing, to minister to a desperatewoman that has come to her for help. I rate thisbook up there with Redeeming Love byFrancine Rivers. (Debbie Gomez)

6Lost Mission, by Athol Dickson – This bookis more like the combination of a spiritual

journey on an archaeological dig. And you haveto pay attention, or you're going to miss thedetails. Dickson began thinking about what itmeans to go from being a country that offersspiritual help to other nations, to being acountry that needs spiritual help from some ofthose nations, and thus the idea for Lost Missionwas born." (Melody Dalgleish)

7The Normal Christian Life, by WatchmanNee – This is a book that teaches and

reveals “who we are in Christ” and the richesof the Cross. Even though the message is“basic”, the Body of Christ has yet toexperience the kind of life that the author says should be “normal” for each believer.(Mary Ann Pound).

8Strong Women, Soft Hearts: A Woman'sGuide to Cultivating a Wise Heart and a

Passionate Life, by Paula Rinehart – This bookis an inspiring reminder that God's desire for usis to be filled with passion and vitality in ourdaily lives.. The author’s message pushes ustoward the desire not to maintain, but toexceed our own expectations to meet ourdeepest longings. (Debby Polizzi)

9Life Equity, by Marsha Blackburn – Thisbook deals with women and their

transferable skills and unique leadershipstyles. It states that women can "realize theirtrue value and pursue their passions at anystage in life". The author is a congresswomanfrom Tennessee. (Jeannie Center)

10Beneath a Marble Sky, by John Shors– This book is about the Emperor of

India who built the Taj Mahal for the love ofhis life. I especially enjoy the depth of thecharacters presented in the story, as well asthe many twists and turns, breathtakingintrigue and even an occasional “shockfactor”. (Stephanie Brubaker)

Marcy Lytle

Charlie and Laura Goff have a lot to bethankful for: two great boys, asuccessful business with wonderful

employees, and countless wins at theracetrack. And they know who to thank fortheir many blessings. Everything they do isfaith-driven.They believe that the best way tolive is to know who is in charge.

“We run a business where God is the employer,”Laura said. “This is God’s business, and we arehis employees.”

Charlie and Laura own a local appliance repairand maintenance shop, Mr. Appliance of CentralTexas. They focus on how to best serve theircustomers – their service professionals wear shoecovers to protect customers’ floors and give ajob quote before the work begins so there areno surprises. “We don’t just want to fix ourcustomers’ appliances – we want to help themlearn how to get the most life out of theirappliances,” Charlie said.

Business is great now. But just 11 years ago,when they first opened their shop doors, lifelooked very different for the Goffs. In thebeginning, they didn’t have much other than adetermination to provide world-class service andto become the appliance repair experts ofchoice for their community. They worked out ofa garage in front of their humble trailer homeoutside Austin. Less than two years later, theyreceived their first Mr. Appliance award – thePersonal Achievement award – and they’ve beenunstoppable ever since.

Charlie and Laura Goff have been namedFranchisees of the Year three times – includingtwo years in a row – and have been SalesLeaders of the Year since 2004. They have alsobeen named Recruiters of the Year and earnedthe Excellence in Leadership, PersonalDevelopment, Business Development andseveral Benchmark sales awards. Mr. Applianceof Austin and Bastrop has grown from a team oftwo to a team of 20, and they expanded thebusiness in September 2006 to serve the greaterWaco area.

“We’re thankful for our customers and ourfantastic office team,” Charlie said. “We owe somuch to their support. And even when times havegotten tough, we’ve persevered and made itthrough, thanks to God’s guidance. We prayabout every decision we make, and we believethat God has a great plan for all of us.” “We wantto be an example of God’s love for everyone wemeet,” Laura said. “We believe we were blessedwith this business to be able to share his lovethrough it. With him, anything is possible.”

Nine years ago, they were blessed with theirfirst boy, CJ – and a few years later wereblessed again with Preston. Charlie and Laurasay they’re constantly proud and amazed bytheir talented boys.

CJ recently joined his father in pursuit to becomeone of the greatest amateur drag racers ever.When CJ Goff turned eight years old – theminimum age for youth bracket racing – Charlieand Laura Goff bought him a Jr. Dragster car sohe could race on his own. Charlie has been dragracing for years and was excited to welcome CJto the sport. “I’m so proud of CJ and glad ourfamily has been able to share this experiencetogether,” Charlie Goff said.

Both CJ and Charlie have taken home severalawards – and they even opened and closed thisracing season with first place wins on the sameweekend. The Goffs love to make the racingevents a family affair. Laura and Preston arealways there as Charlie and CJ’s crew chiefs andbiggest fans. (Next year Preston will be oldenough to join them on the track, and he isroaring to go.)

“Racing has turned into missionary work for us.Half of our winnings go toward World Vision tohelp others across the nations who are indesperate need of food, clean water andmosquito nets to prevent malaria,” Laura said.“This gives us an opportunity to bless others asGod has blessed us.”

When they’re not on the track, the family enjoys traveling, camping, homeschooling, andspending time together.

Amy Woods and Laura Goff


Mr. Appliance Services Central Texas for 11 years

Charlie with his boys in front of his Dragster and 71 Camero

Charlie, Laura, C.J. and Preston GoffOwners of Mr. Appliance of Central Texas

20 www.AustinFaithandFamily.com

Happy New Year!! If you are like most,you are happy to have survived 2009,are looking forward to a prosperous

2010 and might even be dreaming about anupdated kitchen! If you are considering majorremodeling, there are some improvementswith higher return than others. Based on thedata from Remodeling Magazine for the WestSouth Central region of the United States,here are the best and worst returns when itcomes to home improvement.

THE BESTSiding Replacement – hands down, the besthome improvement is replacement ofclapboard or hardboard siding. Why? Thistype of siding is composed of wood, fiber,waxes, resins and glues and is NOTwaterproof. Because of this, it tends to rot

and need to be replaced. If you replace it withfiber-cement siding, you can expect an 86.7%return, and vinyl siding (including foam-backed) averages a return of just over 80%.

Deck Addition – both wood and compositedecks offer a healthy return on investment.Wood decks are usually less expensive tobuild but have higher maintenance costs sinceyou need to reseal the wood on an annualbasis. The return? Wood decks return 81.8%while composite decks return 73.7%.

Kitchen Remodel – a “minor” kitchenremodel has a higher return (79.5%) than a“major” remodel (76% return). What’s thedifference? A minor remodel includesreplacement of the cooktop and oven, cabinetfronts, countertops, flooring, painting and trim.A major remodel includes the minor itemsPLUS the addition of an island, updating ALLbuilt-in appliances, replacing the cabinetry inits entirety and updated lighting.

Rounding out the top five are windowreplacement and bathroom remodels, which both average over a 74% return. Don’t forget, you will get the added benefitof less maintenance when you replace siding and better energy efficiency when you replace windows.

THE WORSTOffice Remodel – we may have to argue thisone- it might have a low return, but it canmake your work life more pleasurable,

especially if you work from home. Officeremodels only average a 54.6% return.

Sun Room – unfortunately, the addition of asun room only returns 56.7% of the cost.

When considering major home improvementsdon’t forget to factor in how much you willenjoy the changes made. If you will receivegreat personal benefit, and plan on living inyour home for a long time, the lifestyle returnon investment may far outweigh the dollarsand cents.

Before you start any major home improvementproject, make sure to hire a reputablecontractor and check their references.

SELLING YOUR HOMEIf you are thinking of selling your home, hereare some Do it Yourself* projects which havevery high returns. They include:

Cleaning and De-cluttering – a $200 averageinvestment nets a $1700 returnHome Staging – costs an average of $300and gains you an average of $1780Lightening and Brightening – a $230investment could net you up to $1300Landscaping – $320 worth of landscaping canadd up to $1500 to the sales priceRepair Plumbing – a $385 investment nets$1250 on average.

*as reported in HomeGain 2009 Top 12 HomeImprovements Survey Results (national averages)

Do you have a real estate question? E-mail it [email protected] and it may be featuredin a future column!

Robin LeTourneau, Realtor®, SRES®, GRILaurie Loew, Broker GRI, ABR, GREEN®

Give Realty Inc. 3420 Executive Center Drive Ste 300, Austin 78731Phone: (512) 338.4483

Give Realty is a local Real Estate brokerage who iscommitted to giving back and investing in ourcommunity! When you sell or purchase a home usingour brokerage, we donate 25% of our commission tothe nonprofit of your choice in your name. We havedonated over $30,000 in 2009, averaging more than$2000 per transaction. Go to www.giverealty.com tofind out more or call us at 512-338-4483.

Laurie Loew

Planning Home Improvements in 2010?



Leadership Filter | The “New” Shapes the Future

Welcome to 2010! It’s a New Year anda new decade! A time to put awaythe old and pursue the new. 2

Corinthians 5:17 says, “…Old things havepassed away; behold, all things become new.”

What is new? It’s something different,something that has not been tested, tried orproven. New ideas and vision are ripe andready to be seized as we enter 2010 andbeyond. Many times as leaders, we miss outon the “new” because we get so emotionallyattached to the proven, the tested andalready established. I like what my new friendwho I just recently spoke with over the phonethe other day, Ben Arment, founder of theSTORY Conference in Chicago says, “We missout on the most important season of a vision’slifecycle because we have an undying love forthe proven ideas and a blatant disregard forthe new ones.”

As you start making your New Year’sresolutions, begin to ask what dreams haveyou suppressed? What idea needs to comeout of the closet? 2010 is ripe for fresh visionand new ideas. With an unstable economy,we need new ideas and fresh vision more thanever; however, with new vision there is risk.Navigating through the unknown is a scaryprocess, but it’s necessary in order to put legsto a new idea.

In 2009, there were a considerable amount ofchurches, businesses, conferences andresources that came to an end. What does thismean for us in 2010? We can’t keep lookingto the old and proven models for the newideas. If we keep doing ministry or businessthe same way, we’ll get more of the same. It’stime to shuffle the current ministry or businessmodel and start engaging new opportunitiesand emerging voices that are around you.Maybe your current model of ministry orbusiness worked in the year 2000. But will itstill flourish in 2010 and beyond? For newideas to cut through the status quo, we haveto be willing to break some rules. When a newidea becomes accepted, it turns into a systemthat gets repeated over and over again. So,when a new idea or a fresh vision comesalong, it will always threaten the way thingsare done. Don’t get so comfortable with theways things have always been done these last

few years, because with every newgeneration, things will change.

We must always honor the visionaries andidea-makers of the past. But with that in mind,we must continue to give room and createspace for the new ideas that are in theirinfancy. Your idea might sound ridiculous, butit could be the thing that becomes the nextrevolution to ministry or the business world.

2010 is a year for all of us to step outside of oursecure little bubble, and look to the possibilitiesof what God can do through each one of us.History has always proven that it’s the obscure,the unheard of and the ridiculous that shapethe future. So this year, step out into theunknown, dream big and be ridiculous!

David Lawrence

David Lawrence is the lead editor of ImpelMinistry.com –

Where Church Leadership & Millennials Converge.

Follow on Twitter @ImpelMinistry and the editor@DavidLawrence2 and friend him onFacebook.com/DavidLawrence2.

Funny Church Bulletin Bloopers

1. For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

2. On a church bulletin during the ministers illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Dennis Davidson

John Graham

Nathan Fylstra

Vonda Hamilton

It started with a meeting between PastorDebbie Stiles, Pastor Mark Seeger, andmyself, Pastor Mike Rinker. I shared with

Debbie and Mark the idea of having acitywide crusade for the deaf. We all agreedthat this idea was a shared burden that theHoly Spirit had placed on all of us, and weagreed to pray about it and see where Godwas going to lead us.

A few weeks went by and we had anothermeeting. We were all excited at what the HolySpirit was leading us to do. Dennis Davidson,who was an Assembly of God pastor, wasinvited to this meeting, and this was thebeginning. The four of us were leaders in thedeaf church community here in Austin, Texasand we knew that this was the right time tolaunch this idea.

Our newly formed group agreed that thiscrusade would be, first and foremost, Godled. We started to follow the leading of theHoly Spirit in this effort and knew that wewere going to be the catalyst in what was tohappen – an opportunity to serve the Lordand also break down some barriers that hadbeen in place for years. Barriers included theinability in the past for churches of differentdenominations to be able to work together,as well as, to give Jesus first place. We agreedthat this event would be open to theparticipation of any evangelical deaf ministryor deaf church. Between the four of us, wealready had the Assembly of God, theLutheran (St. Louis Synod) deaf church, andthe local Southern Baptist deaf church in themix. The crusade committee agreed on onebasic premise. We would focus on the needof Jesus in the Austin deaf community.

There are about 16,000 deaf in the Austinarea. The percentage of those who go tochurch on any given Sunday is about onepercent. The need is great. We saw thecrusade as a way to share Jesus through ourcombined efforts. Our small group agreed on

a statement of faith where we all set aside thetypical barrier building disagreements ofdoctrine and denominational issues to say,“Jesus first!” We wanted the deaf communityto hear from our collective Christian heart thatJesus loves them.

As time went by, there were more peopleadded to the group to join in on the planning.This group was opened to other deaf ministryleadership within the Austin deaf community.This was a wonderful group to work with, andI would enjoy the opportunity to do it again.

One of the biggest barriers, a true wall, wasthat of the current prevailing thought that the“DEAF CAN’T”. This is an oppression that isstraight from the pit of Hell. It is held by manyin the church community who are uninformed.This feeling has stifled and squelched thedeaf community long enough. We all agreedthat the “DEAF CAN”. And when we lookback, we can say with certainty that the deafDID. The planning went on, against allattacks. We had equipment failure, illness,attitudes, and even the diagnosis of one ofour group with stage 4 cancer. God had andwill continue to have the victory.

At the leading of those in the group, we alsoopened to the deaf ministries and churches inAustin the opportunity to have a booth andbe able to share their ministry. These displayswould be cost free. We wanted those whocame to the crusade to see available optionsfor weekly worship. As for the speakers, weinvited John Graham from Canada for theadults, Nathan Fylstra from Oklahoma for the youth, and Vonda Hamilton from northTexas for the children. They did an awesomejob in presenting Jesus and His love to thosewho attended.

At the beginning, when we started prayingand planning the crusade, we envisioned thecrusade as a citywide event. God had adifferent plan. We decided to trust God and

where He was leading. We became excitedat what God was doing, and we sat back andwatched Him take this from a citywide eventto one that included the states of Texas,Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Our groupwatched the on-line registration grow andgrow. When it hit 250 we thought, “WOWGod is great!” It topped out at 401 when theregistration was cut off.

The first night, the auditorium was full! AsDennis Davidson opened the crusade, we allwere just awestruck. God had taken over,which was just what we had wanted. Thesinging, choirs, special music, and preachingwere all in sign. To see this unfold broughttears to our eyes.

(I also need to add a special note for thosewho volunteered. They were sign languagestudents from The University of Texas and TheConcordia University, as well as many fromthe local deaf churches and deaf ministries.Without this help, things would have gone alot rougher, THANKS!)

In the end, Jesus was shared in the languagethat the deaf community understood. Withthis event being the first of its kind, Godblessed. There was a wonderful workingbetween the different churches and no onewas tainted by setting aside our differencesand denominational issues. The real AMEN tothe crusade was the nine people made adecision to accept Jesus as their Savior andthe three people who rededicated their life tothe Lord. Praise the Lord! (A huge “hallelujah”to the four who followed the Holy Spirit’sleading). God will say, “Well done, my goodand faithful servant”.

I thank you Jesus for loving all of us, thehearing and the deaf, and allowing the abilitythrough you to say, “DEAF CAN!”

Pastor Mike RinkerSolid Rock Baptist Church

“2009, Jesus is Mine” – Deaf Can


CHANEY – A Band with a Purpose

FOCUS : MUSICmusic

Dear Dave, I’m shopping around for anew bank, because my current bigbank has gone fee-crazy. They want

$15 to tell me my mortgage payoff amount.Besides asking about fees, do you have anyother advice when it comes to looking for agood bank?

-Jim

Dear Jim,

I learned to stay away from the mega-banksa long time ago. It seems to me thatsomewhere along the line they forgot how totreat their customers like human beings.That’s why I stick with community andregional banks. I love local credit unions, too.These are the kinds of places where you cango in and talk to the branch manager if theygo fee-crazy. They have the power to waivefees, or fix situations if something gets out ofwhack or is just plain stupid!

-Dave

For more financial help please visitwww.daveramsey.com

Dave SaysWhat do you look for in a bank?

Financial Straight Talk with Dave Ramsey

Find out more information online at:www.3DCruiseandTravel.com

Call (512) 218-0291

Cruises | Honeymoons | GroupTravelFamily Vacations

3D Cruise & Travel

Chad Chaney moved to Austin threeyears ago, when he got called out of alife of “selfish dreams” in the acting

business, when the Lord gave him a realpurpose of his life. Chad moved from Melroseto Austin that very week, knowing no one here,and he took his first leadership position in asingles ministry. He knew from the first worshipservice that he was put on this earth tooutwardly worship the King of Kings.

Chad soon met up with Dewayne and Jay, andthe band CHANEY was born. The band nowincludes Chad – lead vocals, lyrics, acousticguitar; Dewayne Morris on electric guitar andlead guitar; Jay Jayasuriya playing keyboards,piano and providing back-up vocals; WilliamRutschman on the drums, and Jason Kraftplaying bass. The music they play is that ofChristian rock, but like Switchfoot, the bandmembers state that their music “appeals toanybody”. Chad states that lyrically, CHANEYis about the struggle of everyday life and theredemption found in our lives…”life is ajourney, a beautiful journey.”

Currently, CHANEY leads worship on Sundaysat Rockbridge Church in Cedar Park(www.rockbridgelife.com). They have alsoplayed all over Austin in places like Momo’s,Light Bar and Submerged, as well as severalchurches and coffee houses. This past year,

the band played for weekend retreats andschool functions in Dallas, Paris, Hamilton andBedford, Texas.

When asked to state the purpose of the band,Chad stated, “To share what God has doneand continues to do in our lives.” “We wantpeople to hear the message of hope andredemption in all our tracks. Ultimately, weknow how powerful music is, and we want tobe used to change lives.”

CHANEY has a brand new CD called NeverTurn and it is available on CD Baby or Itunes,and also on CHANEY’s own website,www.chaneymusic.com. CHANEY’s calendar ofconcerts, videos and pictures can be found onthe website as well. With Austin being the“music capital of the world”, this band feelsblessed to be based here in this city,supported by the listeners who show up attheir concerts perhaps struggling in their faith,but who leave their concerts with a messageof hope, heard through the music from a bandcalled CHANEY.

Marcy Lytle

Making a Difference

Breast Cancer Emergency Support Fund: $1312.50 Hospice Austin – Big Hearts for Brave Hearts Program: $1222.50 Emancipet: $1350.00Animal Rescue League of El Paso: $1350.00

Clients of Give Realty made donations totaling $5235.00 to the following nonprofits in Nov/Dec:


Ican do all things through Christ whostrengthens me,” Philippians 4:13. We allknow this verse. It is the verse that Christian

athletes, sales people, managers, CEO’s,entrepreneurs, moms, dads, single parentsand students have all said to themselves atsome point during their lives. We all know thisverse and the significance and power that itsmeaning can have on our lives when needed.

Dr. Tuggle started running and training back in2007. He is a chiropractor in Cedar Park andstated, “As a chiropractor, seeing all of theinjuries that come from regular sports due tothe constant use of certain muscle groups, Ithought a triathlon was a great balance ofmuscles.” He started with what is called a SprintRace. It is a 1/2 mile swim, a 12 mile bike rideand a 3 mile run, in that order. Tuggle told me,“About halfway through just the swim of theSprint Race, I did not think I would finish theswimming part. I know what is meant now whensomeone says they finished by will, not by skill!”

Dr. Tuggle did go on to finish the Sprint Racein 2007, and in 2008 he entered the Half IronMan which is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike rideand 13.1 miles of running. In 2009 he enteredand ran the full Iron Man Triathlon in Cozumel.The full Iron Man Triathlon consists of a 2.4

mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 milerun, the same length of the marathon!

Tuggle has an interesting perspective on howand why he has been successful in the triathlonsin which he has participated. He has awonderfully supportive family, whom has beenbeside him all the way, and he trained extensivelywith Emerge Multisport, a training group here inAustin. Tuggle also says, “As Christians, a lot oftimes we have the tendency to pigeonholeourselves into a corner with the same ole routineeveryday. From my perspective, the Iron Manhelped me to step out of my comfort zone andmeet a lot of people I would not have met at mychurch or job. Anytime we are engaged with anew group of people, it gives us the opportunityto share Christ. In fact, through this Iron Man, Ihave a new friend who is an unbeliever and isreading The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel and

he may have never been open to this, had Inot stepped out of my comfort zone andstarted running triathlons.”

As we enter into a new year this 2010, Ichallenge you to follow Dr. Tuggle’s lead andstep out of your comfort zone. Do somethingyou would not normally do. Make a friend youwould not normally make, and share Christ ina way you might not normally share. Anyquestions…see Philippians 4:13.

Lee Eddins

SPECIAL FEATURE Stepping Out – In His Strength

Dr. Tuggle crosses the finish line

“


We at Austin Faith & Family had theprivilege of sitting down with theChristian Brothers Automotive

owners here in the Austin area recently, and wefeel their purpose, their business and theirservice is a story worth reading.

AFF: Some of you know me better thanothers here, but most of you know that Igrew up in a home without a father becausemy dad passed away when I was three.Obviously I have always had a soft spot forthe single parent and single mom because Iknow the struggle that they can have andthe challenges they face. That is why I wasinstantly a fan of Christian Brothers…itmeans so much to me as a child of a singlemom that you do this wonderful oil changeservice for moms. How did this get started?

Chip: At first, we teamed up with HEB and HillCountry Bible Church for Saturday oil changes,and now all of Austin, Dallas and somelocations in California offer the free oil changeannually, for single moms.

Patti: In the Austin area alone, we serviced over300 cars for the single moms, 65 at each location.

AFF: What other services do you offer for themoms while they are there?

Steve: We make sure fluid levels are correct,and we check belts that are in bad shape.O’Reilly’s Auto Parts even donated a belt for amom last year, and our technician put it on.

Neail: Our technicians volunteer their time andwant to do more. We won’t send out someonewith a car that’s unsafe. One lady came in witha child’s shoelace tied to her windshield wipers and we fixed it for her, in addition to the oil change.

AFF: Tell us who started Christian Brothersand when.

Jonathan: My dad started the first ChristianBrothers Automotive. I managed a while forthree years in Katy, Texas but I now have theGeorgetown and soon to be Hutto locations.

Steve: Our first location was in Cedar Park, Texas and we just celebrated our 11th anniversary.

Patti: We’ve been in Round Rock for overnine years now.

Carl: I have the location in Buda, having 18years in the car business.

AFF: What sets Christian BrothersAutomotive apart from other car repairshops? We know about your nice waitingroom, but what else?

Chip: We abide by The Golden Rule. We havethis coin that we all keep, which states ourcornerstone of excellence, having Christ atthe center of all of that we do in buildingrelationships, offering service, making a profitor marketing. The secular world does nothave Christ at the center, and relationshipswould be last.

Steve: Our very name with “Christian” beingin there holds us to a higher accountability.

Carl: Every day we walk and work underChrist’s name, glorifying God, putting him first.

Chip: We want to be a “light” in ourcommunity, and the greatest pleasure wehave is “watching the transfer of that vision toour staff.”

Barbara: We offer shuttle service.

Patti: Christian Brothers is a family.

AFF: Are there any particular frustrations,being in the car repair business?

Barbara: Our reputation. Earning trust.

Steve: We “show and tell” so that we canearn that trust. We explain the service we’redoing and why. People come to us becausethey think we’re different. We don’t try to talkpeople into things.

Neail:Many places make car repair a “mystery”.We make it a point to be “transparent”.

Chip: Bottom line, it’s your car, your money.We just want to help you make the bestdecision.

AFF: How do your prices compare to otherauto repair shops?

Neail: We value what we do.

Diane: We do not use cheap parts. We offerquality service.

Jonathan: Because of that, in the long-term,we are the least expensive.

AFF: Share a few stories of satisfiedcustomers.

Carl: I had a three-time repeat customer whobrought in his car with a potential starterproblem. However, when we called to tell himit was just a connection problem and therewas no charge, he was more than thrilled.

Jonathan: One lady came in and had alreadyspent $1000 on her car at another shop. Iprayed that we could help this lady out, whichwe did, at no cost to her. This made me sohappy. The amazing thing is there are 60-something more of our stores doing the samething. I absolutely love my job.

Neail: This type of service “creates customersfor life”.

AFF: Do you have any car maintenance tipsfor our readers?

Chip: Read the Owner’s Manual and do whatit says.

Barbara: Don’t skip oil changes.

Steve: Come by to have the fluids and theair pressure checked – free of charge.

Christian Brothers states they are in excellentstanding nationwide with the Better BusinessBureau. But more than trying to attain awardsthey can hang on a wall or sit on a shelf, eachone of the men and women with whom wetalked stated their passion for storing upawards for eternity, by being a business ofintegrity, offering excellent service and helpingthose in need. Diane stated that even in theirshuttle service, which takes their customerswhere they need to go; they are able to prayfor sick people, as sort of a “front seat” ministry!Another manager mentioned that customersoften bring their technicians brownies andcookies, so they stay well fed! When asked ifthere were any other special days where theyare involved in the community, it was aunanimous reply, “Every day.”

Christian Brothers is connecting with The Riverradio station (FM 102.3) and on their website canbe found coupons for free oil changes in 2010.Christian Brothers is also teaming with The Riverto serve foster families in the Central Texas area.

Please visit www.cba-austin.com to read moreabout Christian Brothers and find answers tofrequently asked questions.

Lee Eddins | Marcy Lytle

FEATURE STORY Christian Brothers AutomotiveChrist-Centered, Community-Minded, Every Day…

Neail and Patti - Neail sings in a barbershopquartet, and both he and Patti can be foundrowing on Town Lake. Married 42 years.

Carl - He enjoys track racing and recently had thehonor of driving a '67 Shelby Cobra in a race.

Chip and Diane - His dad was an actual rocket scientist for NASA.

Jonathan - The past three years, Jonathan hasparticipated in the Running of the Bulls!

Steve and Barbara - 17 years ago, not wantingto find out the sex of their baby, they got a two for one special surprise, with the birth oftwin boys.

Owners:Brodie Lane

Location

Owners:Round Rock

Location

Owner:Georgetown & soon to be HuttoLocations

Owners:Vista Ridge & 620Locations

Owner:Buda Location


A View from the Blue Roof | Being, Not Doing, in 2010

It’s been said that a New Year's resolution issomething that goes in one year and outthe other. In fact, the success rate for

keeping the many vows we tend to make onJanuary 1 — whether to lose weight or to stopsome bad habit or to better oneself bylearning some new skill — is pretty abysmal.Only about one in 10 people actually manageto stick to their resolutions for any length oftime. Most New Year’s resolutions don’t lastto Groundhog Day.

For all our good intentions, the reality is thatour resolutions almost always are based on afaulty assumption. We tend to think that if wejust do the right things, then we will becomethe kind of person we wish we were. We wantto believe that if we just do something oftenenough, we will be able to transform ourcharacter. It’s a nice theory, but — just like theresolutions themselves — it simply doesn’thold up.

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good,or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad,for a tree is recognized by its fruit,” Jesusonce told his disciples. “The good man bringsgood things out of the good stored up in him,and the evil man brings evil things out of the

evil stored up in him” (Matthew 12:33,35).What he’s saying is that we ought to focus onour “being,” not our “doing.” In fact, ourdoing flows naturally from our being, likewater from a spring.

“Spiritual formation is the great reversal,”writes M. Robert Mulholland Jr. in his book,Invitation to a Journey, “from acting to bringabout the desired results in our lives to beingacted upon by God and responding in waysthat allow God to bring about God’spurposes.” In other words, it is God whobrings about transformation in our lives. Ourrole is to simply offer ourselves to Him so thatthe transforming work of grace can occur.

You see, when we operate from theperspective that our doing determines ourbeing, we expect immediate results andinstant gratification. If those aren’tforthcoming, we quickly become discouragedand soon revert to old habits and behaviors.How many New Year’s diets have failedbecause the scale didn’t show the weightcoming off as fast as we thought it wouldonce we cut out those afternoon candy barsand got on the treadmill for three straightdays? But if we learn to focus on our “being”

instead of our “doing”, as Mulhollandproposes, we move from expecting “me-centered” results to opening ourselves toGod and patiently waiting for Him to work Hiswill in us and through us.

As G.K. Chesterton wrote, “The object of aNew Year is not that we should have a newyear. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone,new ears, and new eyes. Unless a man startsafresh about things, he will certainly donothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has neverexisted before, it is quite certain that he willnever exist afterwards. Unless a man be bornagain, he shall by no means enter into theKingdom of Heaven.”

So in this New Year, rather than simplyfocusing on changing a behavior here andthere; focus on the core of your very being.Ask yourself questions like, “Am I moreloving, more patient, more forgiving, moreconsiderate, more compassionate, moregiving than I was at this time last year?” Thenask God for the grace to help you patientlyyield yourself to Him and accept where Hewants to take you as a new and sanctified

person. As Loren B. Mead once said, “God isalways calling us to be more than we havebeen.” The challenge, of course, is having thecourage to answer that call . . .

God’s blessings to you and your family in 2010!

Pastor Keith Our Savior Lutheran Church

[email protected]

Gather the family together, on a cold Januaryevening, for a night of remembering. Plan afew snacks for munching while you share. You

will need to turn on exactly 12 lights in the house(include ceiling lights, lamps, porch lights, stove lights,etc.) Line up 12 votive candles on a plate or other safesetting, and have a lighter or matches available. As youshare memories, you will turn out a light in the house tosignify saying goodbye to 2009, and light a candle,welcoming 2010. Read the following and share:

January is the first month of the New Year. Sharesomething new you tried last year, or something newthat came into your life. (Turn out a light, and light acandle – do this after each month)

February is the month of hearts and sharing love.Share one thing you love about the person on your left.

March includes St. Patrick’s Day, when tradition states towear green. What is your favorite color?

April brings in the rain and showers that then bringflowers. Share something good about rain.

May is the month that includes Memorial Day, when weremember those who have fought, or are fighting, forour country. Stop and pray together for these youngmen and women, and their families.

June – Summer’s here! School is out! What’s yourfavorite summertime memory from last year?

July – The 4th is Independence Day, the day tocelebrate freedom. Share with each other what it meansto be set free from sin. Give thanks aloud for salvation.

August is the hottest month of the year here in Austin,and school is about to begin. How do you react whensomething fun is over, and work begins? How can youmake work fun?

September ushers in the fall season. Routines are inplace, and everyone is busy, but we all need a quietplace and time. Where do you like to spend your quiettime, and what do you do during that time?

October is full of color, scents and tastes. Candy corn,popcorn balls and caramel apples are just a few of thegoodies we love. What’s your favorite “treat”?

November is the month of giving thanks. Rememberlast year, and give thanks for something that was a bitdifficult to experience.

December is the month in which we just celebratedChristmas and our memories are fresh. What was yourfavorite gift (you either gave or received)?

Now that all the candles are lit, and all the lights are off,spend a moment of silence together, remembering thepast year. Pray together for a blessed New Year as youhold hands in the candlelight. Enjoy His presence asyou rest in His light…

Families that pray together and play together, grow together.Above is a small sample of the type of family devotions you willfind in Catching Fireflies, written by Marcy Lytle. Take oneevening, gather the family together, and catch the light fromGod’s word as you have fun doing it! (www.marcylytle.com)

Catchingthe

Light. . .

New Hope Community Church2330 Dry Creek DriveRound Rock, TX 78681(512) 255-0064www.newhope-roundrock.com [email protected]

Celebration ChurchWeekend Sunday Services:9:30am11:30am1:30pm (en español)6pm (Children's Ministry:

Birth-5th grade only)

MidWeek Wednesday Night Service:7 p.m. (English and español)

1202 County Road 116 (Rabbit Hill Road)Georgetown, TX 78626(512) 763-3000

First Baptist PflugervilleSunday Bible FellowshipGroups- 8:00am & 9:30am

Worship Services 9:30am Traditional 11:00am Contemporary

Pecan St. @ 10th StreetPflugerville, TX(512) 251-3052

THE SOURCE CHURCH DIRECTORYTHE SOURCE CHURCH DIRECTORY

Solid Rock Baptist Church(512) 410-7458 [email protected] Church for the Deaf and Hearing

First Baptist Church of AustinA Thinking, Healing, Feeling Community Downtown 901 Trinity St.(512) 476-2625www.fbcaustin.org Pastor Dr. Roger Paynter

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Remembering:


This space is dedicated inthe loving memory of Joe DeBord

December 14, 1962 – November 18, 2009


Money-Saving Tips From Moms Who Shop

Dollars &$ense

Dollars &$ense

This is a monthly column full of tips forsaving money. This month’s focus is onbudgeting and sticking to it, once all of

the holidays and spending are over.

Melissa C. (married, mother of four)

• I always budget at the beginning of the yearfor all the buckets, including Christmas, andthat money isn’t touched except for Christmasitems. I also buy throughout the months (Aug– Nov) so that the cost is spread out over timeand then all is paid for by the end of the year.

• I use an excel program to keep track of thebudget and what has been spent so that Idon’t go over the budget.

• Paying off bills – Cut out the extras likeStarbucks and eating out, and apply ittowards those bills so they don’t start addingup AND plan for the next Christmas – getyour actual receipts from all that was spentthis season and then you KNOW how muchto plan on spending, or not spending, thenext Christmas.

Patricia J. (single mom of two teenagers)

• I don't really have a "budget" because therereally isn't much room for "wants". With onesource of income and being responsible foreverything, I have every bill auto-drafted thrumy bank account so that I don't have toremember when everything is due (so no latefees!), and I don't have to write checks andspend money on stamps. I have my mortgagesplit into two equal payments per month sothat I can more easily balance my monthlyincome and expenses.

• I have no savings account. I put 5% of mypay into my 401(k) because my employer matches it dollar for dollar, so it makes moresense to double my 'savings' this way.

• I have file folders categorized for certainthings, one of which is for filing my income taxreturn. EVERYTHING that I use for filing myincome tax return goes in the folderthroughout the year, so that I'm ready to startby January 31.

• I pay cash for most items with the exceptionof the car, rarely putting things on a creditcard. I do not like having debt and do not likepaying interest.

• For car repairs, I found a great independentauto shop that has a shuttle to take me towork, 90 days same as cash. I give them threechecks dated a month apart each, and theydeposit them one at a time! Other majorexpenses, I try to fix myself, and if I have touse the credit card, I will - that's what it's for -"emergencies".

Jo Ann A. (single “mature” mom, living alone)List all known income and all knownexpenses. With each payday, give to the Lord(which is a privilege and honor).

• Set up a savings account, even $5.00 amonth is a beginning.

• Pay your bills on time – avoid late fees andpenalties (they do add up).

• If possible, set aside some money for somefun things. It doesn't have to be a lot. Checkyour church bulletin and local papers foractivities that are free.

• Make a list of some things that could bringin extra income if needed, i.e. tutoring,babysitting, cleaning for someone, washingcars and don't forget to ask the Lord for ideasthat would provide more income. Be willingto work hard and be faithful with what Godhas given you.

• Meet with people who can offer soundfinancial advice (don't be too proud), if youneed help. Almost everyone has foundthemselves in tough times.

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The Daniel & Justin Show airs on Sundayevenings 8p.m.–10p.m. on The Word(99.3 FM). Daniel & Justin are youth

leaders at New Hope Community Church inRound Rock. Each month, they will offer theirinsight on things they think parents might liketo know, in order to “bridge the gap”between generations. We hope our readersfind their comments informative and helpful…

AFF: Cell phones for teenagers...goodthing or bad thing? Why?

Justin: Bad, because it's become more of adistraction. Most kids are given a phone forsafety and to be checked up on, and 90% ofits use is not for its intended purpose.

Daniel: In general, it’s a good thing for parentsto communicate with their teens, as well asemergencies. It also helps teens keep incontact with their friends and encouragesfriendships.

AFF: What should parents know abouttexting that they might not know already?

Justin: Your kids are staying up much later andare talking about many more topics with theirfriends than you think, via texting.

Daniel: It’s called “sexting”, when teens textabout sexual things and participate inexcessive flirting. Beware of the ability to sendpictures from your phone. This can be nothingbut trouble.

AFF: How can parents monitor texting?

Justin: You can have your provider send youthe long list of activity on that number. It willgive you the time & date of their calls & texts,but you may not see what they are saying. Youneed to understand how to check the"history" on their phone. (I would reallyrecommend before you give your child anyphone that you need to know how to use it.Don't be ashamed to take the phone to thestore and ask for help.)

Daniel: The easiest way is to not have textingon their phone. Monitoring is difficult.

AFF: What are some examples ofinappropriate texting?

Daniel:Anything that would be embarrassing if aparent, a teacher or a youth leader would read it.

Justin: Most kids get brave behind a phonecall, email and especially texting, and they willpush the limit of the conversation past whatthey normally would (sex and drugs).

AFF: Do you think texting affects teenagersand their ability to converse verbally withothers? In other words, does textingreplace everyday conversations?

Daniel: It sure is moving that direction. Teenshave total conversations via texting. When itcomes to expressing themselves verbally toparents and authority figures, it’s becomingmore difficult, making confrontations a thingof the past. It’s easier to send a text.

Justin: This is my hot button for sure. Yes, itdirectly affects teenagers’ ability to communicateand yes, it has replaced everyday conversations.This is something that is a major concern in mymind, because this is another way for peopleto not be accountable for what they say,because they can hide behind texting or aphone. Why go to a person and work out anissue when you can just send a mean spiritedtext message?

AFF: Texting 24/7...is it addicting?

Justin: Yes very much, because you can havemany different conversations at once. You usually don't realize how many you sentuntil you get the bill.

Daniel: Definitely. You can text while watchingTV or doing homework, or about anywhere, soit can be very addicting.

AFF: How can texting be dangerous?

Justin: It is affecting our youth and their abilityto communicate person to person. Living in aworld of texting does not promote truepersonal relationships.

Daniel: Texting while driving! It takes yourattention off the road and can cause majoraccidents. Don’t text and drive!

AFF: Anything else about texting you wantparents to know?

Daniel: Be aware, and communicate with your children.

Justin: Don't be surprised in what you find.You may think you know your child, but youmay find something very different in theirpersonal conversation. The most importantthing I would stress to your child is that whatyou say via a phone call or a text representsyou. Make sure you represent yourself well.

Marcy Lytle

Generation Bridge


SPECIAL FEATURE No Other Answer – Judi Crowhurst’s Journey with Cancer

God is good, all the time…These arethe words in the signature line of JudiCrowhurst’s emails. However, these

aren’t just words from a song; they are Judi’swords, personal to her, in her walk on ajourney of living with cancer.

In the middle of what appeared to be a“perfect” life, Judi was diagnosed in Januaryof 2007 with LeioMyoSacoma in herabdomen, a very rare type of cancer (only 4cases in each 1 million cases of cancer), forwhich there is no known cure. Prior to herdiagnosis, she was having discomfort in herdigestive system, and after many x-rays andCT scans, several masses were found. Feeling“numb and in denial”, Judi was sent forimmediate surgery, where 11 tumors werediscovered, three of which were the size of agrapefruit. As a result of the removal, the wallof her large intestine was very thin, and shewas in the hospital for a week. After beinghome only a few days and not improving, shewas rushed back to the hospital, as her colonhad ruptured and her abdominal cavity wasfilling up and poisoning her body. The secondsurgery resulted in Judi’s colon being repairedwith a colostomy. Several more tumors werediscovered and removed, as well.

Something wonderful happened one night,when Judi was alone in her hospital room.The doctor had told Judi’s family to go home,as there was no room to sit or stay. However,two ladies came in that night and sat withJudi, holding her hand. Judi is convincedthese were ministering angels sent from herFather. In the hospital, Judi was giving acentral line with nutrients, as she was unableto eat. At home, she had many friends whocame over to help, one being a nurse whowas able to stay for weeks (another blessingfrom God). God is good, all the time.

The doctor had informed Jim (Judi’s husband)and the family that Judi had “8 months”,since there was no treatment for this type of

cancer, but they could travel to M.D.Anderson to see if there were any trials goingon. Judi did start Chemotherapy and was onGemzar Taxotere for 11 months. The tumorsresponded well, with some shrinking andnone growing in size. Soon the tumorsbecame resistant to the treatment, soAdriamycin was the drug of choice. Thistreatment was harsh, in that Judi lost her hair,had blisters in her mouth and experiencedextreme fatigue; but the treatment seemed tobe effective. From June 2008 – January 2009,Judi was off all treatments.

January 2009 brought the news that thetumors were growing again. She was treatedwith Trabectedin. However, in August 2009the doctor stated it too was no longerworking. After consultation about anothersurgery, which would require a three monthrecuperation time and no guarantees, and a10% chance of chemo now being effective,Judi and Jim had a difficult decision to make.The decision was to “enjoy feeling good as long as God sees fit to keep me here”.God is good, all the time.

As I interviewed Judi, I had questions of myown. What has kept your faith intact? Howhas your relationship with God changed?Were you ever angry at God? I wanted toknow how my friend could be so positive withsuch a negative disease facing her each day.Judi answered that God has been faithful toshow her that he is “looking out” for her. Sherecalled a cruise she took with Jim, where shewas looking out over the deck and twodolphins popped right up. She knew God had

sent these creatures to bring delight to her.She felt she heard God say “Girl, you haven’tseen anything yet. You are so easilydelighted.” Judi states she knows she will notdie one day sooner than “HE DESIGNS” andso she chooses to trust Him. From the verybeginning of her journey, she told everyone,“If God can get the glory out of this, it will beworth it.” Judi also states that God’sfaithfulness to her in the past has given herfoundation to stand on in the present. Judistates, “I don’t think anyone can come incontact with their mortality and not thinkabout changing.” No, Judi has not beenangry at God. She knows he is in control andhe will walk with her even “through the valleyof the shadow of death”, and she will “fear noevil.” If he’s leading her, she can and will walkwith Him, her “Abba Father”. She knows oneday she will go “home” and she wants aclean, pure heart, and that is her daily focus.

If any of our readers have cancer, or have afriend or family member with cancer, Judiextends her sympathy. However, herencouragement would be, “Live in thepresent, not in the future. Dig down deep tofind where you stand with God and pull onthat resource. Be honest with God and realizethe future and eternity is better than this.Don’t put off what you have always wanted todo. Do it now if you can. Make memories.Finish projects.” To the friends and family,Judi says, “Make peace with each other, bepositive and try to understand. Don’t be afraidto talk, and be sensitive to where the patientis in her feelings.” Judi feels closer to Jim thanever before and has seen God give himstrength to carry this burden and help her withevery step along the way.

Although Judi would never “choose” thisjourney with cancer, she says it hasenlightened her and enhanced her walk withGod and her view of heaven. She now looksat things through the eyes of eternity. Judi realizes that to say the familiar cliché

“Just trust in God” seems too simple, but shehas no other answer. Judi’s oncologist told herlast month that she didn’t expect her to behere this long. “So what does that tell you?”Judi asks. “THAT is totally up to God.” God is good, ALL the time…

(Judi is married to Jim, who recently retiredfrom IBM. Judi stayed at home to raise threesons and now has six grandchildren. She loves to quilt, travel and connect withfriends via Facebook and email.)

Marcy Lytle


THE BACK

PEW

Quips and QuotesWe cannot do everything, but we must do everythingwe can. –Glenn Pace

The secret of happiness is not doing what one likes todo, but in liking what one has to do.

–Sir James M. Barne

No matter how wealthy you are, your husband or wifeis the greatest asset you will ever have on earth or in eternity. –Gordon B. Hinckley

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but theirechoes are endless. –Mother Teresa

Jokes“Doctor! I have a serious problem, I can never remember what I just said.”

“When did you notice this problem?”“What problem?”

“My wife suggested a book for me to read to enhance our relationship. It’s titled: ‘Women are from Venus, Men are Wrong.’”

Sam: Would you punish me for something that I didn’t do?

Teacher: No, of course not.Sam: Good, because I didn’t do my homework.

RAVE REVIEWS

MOVIES

MUSIC

This much anticipated movie, attracting sold-out crowds ofyoung fans, did not disappoint. Continuing with the story offorbidden love, another character emerges on the scene,passionate to protect and own, yet in conflict with another and“the treaty”. Some say this movie was better than the first, andI tend to agree. Great visuals, heart-stirring romance and a bitof mystery give this movie all the elements we want and expectto see and feel. The movie leaves the viewer wanting more,and that’s always a good sign.

Marcy Lytle

Recently renowned for his debut book, Crazy Love, Francis Chanspeaks again of authentic fellowship with God in his latest bookForgotten God. However, this time he focuses chiefly on theAmerican church's neglect of the Holy Spirit and recognition of hispresence. Simply written in his distinguishably honest, bedsidemanner, Chan reminds the church of a biblical perspective on theSpirit of God and how we are commanded to interact with Him. Everapplicably and practical, Forgotten God is a tool to encouragemodern Christians to embrace biblically how they came to knowJesus in the first place-the Holy Spirit.

Lauren Turner

San Diego rockers Switchfoot release their seventh full-length record with a poignant, cognitive approach toexperiencing trials-entitled suitably Hello Hurricane.Frontman Jon Foreman articulates his hello on the titletrack with his familiar approach of cognitive honesty:"Hello hurricane/You're not enough/hellohurricane/you can't silence my love/I've got doors andwindows boarded up/all your dead-end fury is notenough/You can't silence my love." The rest of thealbum follows suit with a similar sense of embracingsuffering and responding with optimism and love.Musically, tracks such as "The Sound" and especially"Bullet Soul" nod to early Switchfoot efforts with fuzzydistortion and catchy yet extremely raw choruses. Softer moments include the tender"Always", a gentle, piano-driven exploration of God's love and lyrical gem "Yet". Alwayscandid and authentic as a day spent surfing, Switchfoot composes a wave of musical andspiritual joy for fans and newcomers alike.

Lauren Turner

New Moon

Forgotten God–Francis Chan

Hello Hurricane–Switchfoot

Percent of the 350,000,000pounds of food that is thrown

away by us each year.

27

Amount of Bibles sold eachminute across the world!

50 BOOKS

austin faith & family- january 2010

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