austin faith & family- august 2009

FREEAugust 2009

Michelle Valles The Award-Winning Storyteller with Heart

Freedom Fest HighlightsAn Angel in Round Rock

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Publisher: Lee Eddins, H.O.T. Publishing, LLC [email protected] Editor: Marcy Lytle [email protected]

Contributing Writers: Lee Eddins, Lauren Lacy, Marcy Lytle, Dr. John Tuggle, Don Spann, Lauren Turner

Cover Photo: Cody Davis

Art Direction/Graphic Design/Staff Photographer: Cody Davis,

Sales: Lee Eddins (512) 689-2717

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Austin Faith & Family is committed to encouraging individuals in their daily lives by presenting the faith stories of others and providing information that will point every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper, authentic, personal and life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Views expressed in Austin Faith & Family do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Austin Faith & Family staff to ensure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information, nor the absences of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be, or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 by H.O.T. Publishing, LLC.

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

Austin Faith & Family is published monthly and is available at high traffic locations throughout the metropolitan area. Copies are also available by subscription, $25 for one year. Single issues available for $3 an issue.

Volume 1, Number 3

TABLE OF CONTENTSFocus Articles

6 Focus: Non-Profit - An Angel in Round Rock

7 Focus: Business - Hughes Amalgamated

10 Focus: Church - Celebration Church

13 Focus: Restaurants - Babe’s Burgers & Wings

16 Focus: Kids - Terra Toys

18 Focus Health - Consumer tips for Health Insurance

Special Features

11 NORTHERNPATH

17 Back to School…Already

19 Lakeway’s very own Gay Bonorden Gray on HGTV

21 Freedom Fest 09’

In Every Issue

3 From the Publisher- A special letter to the Koke family

8 Back Talk

9 Health Matters

12 Manhood - What do you mean a man has a role?

20 Rave Reviews

20 Upcoming Events

22 The Back Pew

Feature Story

14 & 15 Cover Story: Michelle Valles - The Award - Winning Storyteller with Heart

Editor’s NoteEnd of Summer “Must-Haves”Everywhere I look there are advertisements of the “must-haves” for this new school year. There are the latest fashion “must-haves”, dorm room “must-haves” and classroom “essentials”, all drawing the consumer in, making us feel we “must” run out and get all of these items in order to have a successful beginning to a new school year. It’s the end of the summer sales and the beginning of school bargains that get our attention. This is the last month of the constant heat (we hope), and we all anticipate cooler days, wearing those new sweaters and long jeans instead of shorts. Vacations are coming to an end, and the school routines will begin again. For kids, August may be the most dreaded month of the year, as free time is over and homework begins. However, for parents, August may be welcomed with a sigh of relief, knowing bedtime will be earlier and kids will be out of the house. The end of one season always brings with it the beginning of a new one.

I hope that as you read this month’s issue of Austin Faith & Family, you will see the end to some things, as well as new beginnings in other areas. I hope you will consider some other kinds of “must-haves” you need to pursue in order to have a successful new season. Perhaps you will put an end to your current lifestyle and choose to be healthy in the food choices you make and the exercise you pursue. Attending a class of Yoga might just be the place to begin. Put an end to searching for that “perfect” church and take in a service at Celebration Church, where the people are friendly and the worship is awesome. Make worship a “must-have” in your daily routine. If you’re of college age, and your summer is ending, why not visit Northern Path’s website and find a place where you can connect with other college students? Growing and learning with your peers is “essential” for success.

After you read our feature article on Gay Bonorden Gray, with Best Tex Gardens, you just might see how the end of one career can lead to the beginning of a new pursuit, one you least expect, and one that fulfills your dreams. Michelle Valles, in our cover story, shares how her faith was “essential” for her success. With so many job changes taking place, among so many I know; I hope you all will be encouraged that God has a plan, a place and provision for his children.

Thank you for making Austin Faith & Family a “must-have” on your reading list, a free magazine, yours for the taking…what a bargain!

Marcy Lytle Austin Faith & Family

[email protected]

Concert benefiting His Shoes www.HisShoes.org


Texas Stars

The Texas Stars held a press conference on July 15th to introduce their new coaches. The press con-ference was held in a full lobby of the Cedar Park Center. In attendance was Cedar Park Center General Manager Rick McLaugh-lin, Les Johnson the Dallas Stars Director of Scouting and Player Development and Texas Stars General Manager Scott White, who wasted little time in intro-ducing the first head coach and assistant coach in team history. The team intro-duced Head Coach Glen “Gully” Gulutzan and Assistant Coach Paul Jerrard. The Dallas Stars will be playing an exhibition game on September 30th with the Texas Stars. More info can be found at www.TexasStarsHockey.com.

Lee Eddins

Les Jackson – Dallas Stars Director of Scouting and Player Development,

Paul Jerrard – Texas Stars Assistant,Glen Gulutzan – Texas Stars Head Coach, Scott White

– Texas Stars General Manager

The Ryan Jason Blackmon Foundation Golf Tournament

On June 27, 2009 the Ryan Jason Black-mon Foundation held its inaugu-ral fundraiser, a golf tournament at the Terra Vis-ta Golf Club. The Founda-tion raised over $20,000 to provide schol-arships for children with special needs and learning disabilities and to raise awareness of VCFS. VCFS is a

chromosome disorder that is as common as Down syn-drome, but very little is known about it and very few people know about

it. You can see more about the Ryan Jason Blackmon Foundation on Facebook.

Majella Society receives a Check from Bannockburn Baptist Church

Ryan Rush of Bannockburn Baptist Church presents Deborah Ortiz, Majella VP, with

a $5,114.20 check from a love col-lection his church made on July 12. The Majella Society is an Austin-based n o n - p r o f i t that places positive tele-vision, bill-board and internet ad-

vertisements to connect women in crisis pregnancies with life-affirming resource centers and to create a culture of life. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that Travis is the only metropolitan county in the state to decrease in abortion numbers since 2004. Travis is the only county in which Majella has had a consis-tent presence since 2004. For more infor-mation, visit www.majellasociety.org.

Lee Eddins

Ryan Rush presenting check to Deborah Ortiz

Charity Bash for Heart House

Charity Bash is an organization in Austin that seeks to transform Aus-tin’s young professionals into philan-thropists. The group is comprised of six volunteers and holds an event at a local venue to promote a local Austin non-profit each month. This month they held an event at Red Fez on 5th St. benefiting Heart House, an organi-zation that offers free afterschool aca-

demic programs and a safe haven to children living in low income neighborhoods. More info can be found about Charity Bash at www.CharityBash.org and Heart House at www.HeartHouse.org.

Lee Eddins

Lisa Blackmon and Cherry Wicker in front

of Ryan’s Wall.

Clark, Eric and Lisa Blackmon

Back Row: Tom Jennings, Jana Holst, Jeff Holst and Karen Holst with local non-profit

Colin’s Hope.Front Row: Marion Martin, Financial Development-YMCA Metro Office

Kelly, Karen and Janet pose for a picture


From the Publisher:

Dear Pastor Koke, Laura and Family,

From everyone here at the Austin Faith & Family, we’d like to wish you very heartfelt and sincere condolences for your loss. I do not know you nor have I ever met you, but I am very sorry and extremely saddened at the thought of what you must be go-ing through right now. As a parent of three boys and a little girl, all of with who I am completely and utterly in love with, I cannot even imagine what you and your family must be going through. I have no way of empathizing with you, only through the way my heart sinks to the tips of my toes at the very thought of going through what you have experienced, do I even come close to understanding…and still know it is nowhere close. My personal prayer is that God be with you all.

Our prayers are with you and your family, as you try to answer the questions that unfor-tunately, will probably never be answered here on this earth. Our prayers are with you as you mourn the loss of Caleb. Our prayers are with the lost who see this as an excuse to believe that God does not exist or for the believer who sees this as a reason to turn from him. Our prayers are that you find strength as you proceed from day to day.

We pray that you are able to find understanding somehow through of all of this. We pray that you and your family will become united and stronger through this and most of all, I pray that the God of peace will come down, as the people of God throughout this city read this, and place His hand of peace upon you. And I pray that Jesus, who is the great comforter, will put hand of healing upon your family, as the Saints of God in this city lift you all up. I ask everyone who is reading this to stop right now, this very second, and lift this fam-ily up to God, in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and pray for them in this time of need.

Lee EddinsPublisher, Austin Faith & Family

Lake Travis PodiatryDr. Patrick Corrrigan, DPM

Dr. Corrigan, DPM wants to promote healthy living and prevent surgeries by relieving foot pain and improving the me-chanics of the feet. He strives to provide experienced, gentle foot care here in Lake-way.

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Medicare and most insurances accepted.

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Complete Family Foot CareSports Medicine / Orthotics

In Lakeway CommonsLakeway Blvd & 620 South

www.laketravispodiatry.com

(512) 263-8655


FOCUS NON-PROFITSAn Angel in Round RockSocial work can be some of the most rewarding work; although many times underpaid because of under-funding, and many times under-appreciated. This is why so often we hear that to be a social worker, you just have to be called to do it. Well, not so in the case of Sally Decker, Senior Case Worker at Arcil in Round Rock, if you ask Lora DeBord. Sally Decker is an “angel sent from heaven who saved my family”, says DeBord.

Sally Decker has been in social work for 35 years. She spent most of that time work-ing for Child Protective Services. She was the person who helped parents who had lost their children get some stability and get back on a path that would allow them to regain the custody of their children. She got a little burned out and decided she wanted to help people who were suffering from a disability. She started with Arcil in Round Rock and has been facilitat-ing the needs of the disabled ever since.

Lora has had a tough time with her husband Joe, who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor eight years ago. He also has diabetes. Things had become extremely tough for Lora and her husband. Someone told Lora about Arcil and the resources they had. She went to Arcil and met Sally. “Sally helped us find the resources we needed to get our lives back to as normal as possible, considering our circumstances”, DeBord told me.

This is what Arcil is all about. A.R.C.I.L- Austin Resource Center for Independent Liv-ing will help those who are defined by the government as having a disability.The way Arcil does this is by helping the person to lead a life that is as normal as possible. This includes providing classes and offering resources in areas that can help the disabled, finding support groups and generally helping them to function in society and continue to live independently.

What makes this job so worthwhile to Sally? “It is the look on someone’s face when they realize there is actually a light at the end of the tunnel”, says Sally. Sally told me that the most challenging aspect of her job is “getting agencies to work together and to release money in these tough economic times”. Well, we thank God for people like you Sally, who give of their time, talent and efforts, to better the lives of those around them.

Thank you Sally, for being our angel in Round Rock. Lee Eddins

Sally Decker


Hughes Amalgamated has worked on hundreds of insurance claims over the years. They will explain your insurance claim to you, they will tell you how you can use all of the money allowed by the insurance company, they will explain what you have to do to get your mortgage company to release all of the money for repairs, and they will make sure you don’t unintentionally give away money to one subcontractor that you need to pay another. Yep, that is right, they take the hassle right out of getting the damage on your home repaired.

Hughes Amalgamated is a people company in the General Contractor business. They work to build and maintain trust with their customers, employees, and subcontractors through teamwork, integrity and reliability. Their customers are their most important team members.

Hughes Amalgamated has its main office in Taylor with sat-ellite offices in Leander (Aus-tin), Marble Falls (North Hill Country), Texas City (Galves-ton), and Carrollton (DFW). They work in the commercial, residential, historic restoration & period construction, insur-ance claim repairs, and disas-ter recovery fields. No matter

what your issue or need, Hughes Amalgamated has the expertise, the resources and the knowledge to help you win with your insurance company and get the repairs you need, not what they think you need.

Hughes Amalgamated would like to offer you a complimentary inspection of your home if you think you may have gotten some damage in one of our recent storms. Hughes Amalgamated can be reached for the Austin area at 512/352-5900.

Lee Eddins

FOCUS BUSINESSHughes Amalgamated Amalgamated? What in the world does Amalgamated mean? Amalgamation is the bringing together of different specialties to work as a whole. When a storm rolls through, we automatically think we need to call a roofer because our roof probably received damage and we can get a new roof through our insurance com-pany. What we often forget is that in a hail storm, wind storm or even a strong thunder storm, we can have much more damage to our home than just our roof. There are prob-lems with gutters, windows, siding, chimneys and a host of other dam-ages that can hap-pen from a storm. You may live in an area that has re-cently had a storm. Austin and the surrounding areas have had two multi-million dollar storms, meaning that multiple millions of dollars worth of damage has been done over the course of five months. Your neighborhood may be like a lot of neighborhoods in Austin…crawling with the storm chasers, want-ing to get their hands on the insurance money that is being awarded. Did you know that the average storm chasing roofer is only in business for 2 1/2 years? Would you buy a car from a place that you knew would not be around a year or two from now? John Hughes and David Melvin with Hughes Amalgamated have been in business over twenty five years. What sets them apart from the storm chasers crawling through your neighborhood? One simple fact - they are General Contractors, not “roofers”. Hughes Amalgamated, just like their name says, brings together knowledge of your entire home with knowledge of insurance claims.

If you have a storm, Hughes Amalgamated will examine your entire home; making sure that your windows or the siding on your home was not damaged. They determine what your actual damage from the storm was and then work with your insurance adjuster to get it fixed. Did you know most insurance companies keep some of the money from your claim until the work is complete? That is money that you might be able to use to help pay for repairs. But only if you know how you are supposed to use it – the insur-ance company has rules for this.

If you have a mortgage company, these days they get involved. You will need to send them the checks to be endorsed. And they like to hold back some of it until they send their own inspector to check that the work is complete. Throw a storm chaser or two into the mix and, with all of the rules you have to follow – from the insurance and the mortgage companies – just to use the claim money to fix your home it’s real easy to see why so many people end up wondering where all of the money went or why it ended up costing them so much.


Sick Care or Wellness? Who’s Choice is It? I read a recent article by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) that discussed sick care versus genuine wellness. It was truly interesting, as the article spoke about the current state of our health care system. Do you realize that the American health care system is the most costly system in the world? It is not surprising to me that as Americans we have the opportunity to spend more than any other country on healthcare. The thing that bothers me as a clinician regarding this system is where our health is rated. When I think about health and the cost of health, I relate the two, right? If I spend more than anyone else I know, I should be healthier, right? Wrong. In fact, not even close. We are ranked 37th in the world when it comes to health. Can you believe that? We outspend our European counterparts two to one, but we are two times more likely to have chronic disease. If you ask me, this is terrible.

What can we do about it? This is a great question and one I frequently get asked. We have to change our mindset. We have to quit thinking that the government or insurance company is going to take care of us. We are responsible for our own health and it is time that we stand up and take care of it. We must start being accountable for our actions. You have heard the old saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The same is true when it comes to our health. We destroy our health by ignoring signs and then we complain, when we don’t feel as we should.

According to the article written by Senator Harkin, 75% of the healthcare costs today are related to heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and obesity. This means that 75% of the cost we are spending on healthcare is for conditions that can be prevented, in most cases, by changes in our lifestyle. The way we eat, exercise and make lifestyle choices, greatly affects our health. The government is trying to come up with a system that “fixes the problem” and the reality is that you and I are responsible for our own health. We must embrace preventative care and avoid chronic type illnesses that come from apathy and lack of interest in our own well-being.

Now is the time to make a difference. Find a good book on eating right, start an exercise program and get rid of silly aches and pains that are unnecessary. I recommend that all my patients have some form of nutritional balance in their life, as well as routine stretching and some physical activity. Walking with your spouse can be a great way to start and great for your relationship as well.

Start choosing “health” and say “no” to our old sick ways. Dr. Tuggle

(512) 257-2225

FREE ONE HOUR OF MASSAGE FOR ANY NEW PATIENT

with this coupon

Wellness & Better Health Chiropractic, P. A (512) 257-2225

One coupon per patientExpires 08/31/2009


Do You Yoga? What comes to your mind when you hear the word “yoga”? Yoga is actually more simple and beneficial than most think. There are many ways to describe yoga, as well as many different styles and practic-es (http://www.mamashealth.com/yoga/). Yoga is a system of physical and mental exercises designed to balance and unite the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga techniques date back more than 5,000 years. The word “yoga” means to “to join or yoke together”. One of the philosophies of Yoga is that by balancing your body, you’ll learn to focus your mind, which will improve your health and spiritual well-being.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a science of health that affects three ma-jor functions: the body’s strong, flexible frame of muscles, bones and ligaments; the nutrient cycles of digestion, respiration and circulation; and the vital messenger systems of nerves and hormones which balance and regulate our physical, emotional and mental responses.There is a general misconception that in Meditation, your mind has to go blank. In Meditation, students bring the activities of the mind into focus, resulting in a “quiet” mind. By designing physical poses and Breathing Techniques that develop awareness of our body, Yoga helps us focus and relieves us from our everyday stress.

Here are some of the many benefits of Yoga:

• Improves circulation

• Stimulates the abdominal organs

• Puts pressure on the glandular system of the body, which can generally result in better health.

• Improves balance and concentration

• Promotes relaxation. Even in the midst of stressful environments, Yoga helps control breathing and clears the mind of cluttered thoughts

• Increases flexibility and stamina

• Improves stretching

• Tones muscles and exercises your spine and entire skeletal system

• Improves circulation

• Improves your resistance to disease. The postures and movements in Yoga mas-sage the internal organs, enhancing blood circulation and functionality, thus, less-ening the risk of illness.

• Increases your energy level and productivity. In as quick as 20 minutes, Yoga can replenish the mind and body with precious energy needed to respond to daily tasks and challenges

As you can see, there are many great benefits of Yoga. There are many types of Yoga classes. Some adults who have difficulty getting on the floor can also benefit from Sil-verSneakers YogaStretch. This modified class is performed in the chair and standing. This is a great alternative to regular Yoga for anyone. Check your local gym to see what types of classes are offered and start making Yoga a part of your every day life.

Lauren LacyCHASCO Family YMCA Fitness Coordinator

(512) 246-9622


Celebration ChurchI want to tell you about a church I have come to know and love, Celebration Church. Celebration Church in Georgetown was the first church that I visited when I moved here back in 2007. I was instantly impressed when Pastor Joe recognized my wife and I as visitors in a crowd of many people. As we made small talk, we discovered that we were both fans of a certain college football team. Pastor Joe then put his arm around my shoulder and told me to look at the colored lights behind the choir which were purple and gold. Now I know that the LSU colors behind that choir were merely coincidental, but in my mind they were there for a reason…and I liked it!

The thing about Celebration Church that really stands out to me (other than the fact that their colors are purple and gold) is the music. The music at Celebration Church is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. “It’s as if even music that we sing that’s performed by other artists, just takes on a special sound unique to Celebra-tion”, says Worship Leader Crystaline Stanley. What makes their music service so special is the true teamwork involved with the worship ministry team. They all take ownership of the roles that each one plays in bringing a unique worship

experience to each service. When one of them is asked to play an event outside of the church, they are always able to find one or more of the other members of the team to step up and help out with the event as well. On any given Sunday morning, you will also hear songs that you can only hear at Celebration Church! This is because they have a special music project, a CD that is unique only to Celebration Church, because all the lyrics are written by the worship team. The CD will be recorded live with the participation of the congregation.

In a time period when the church in America has experienced a decline in attendance, it is not hard to see why Celebration

Church has experienced growth year after year, and now has an average weekly atten-dance of over 5,000 people. I sat down with Worship Leaders Crystaline Stanley and Daniel Gonzales (who also serves as the Creative Arts Pastor) on a Wednesday night where they lead the youth service. It was amazing to see how many teens they had there that evening. It is a true testament to their mission of reaching a young genera-tion, getting them involved, interested and committed to a real relationship with Jesus Christ.

They also have a program that is just launching called the Cel-ebration School of Ministry. What the Celebration School of Ministry seeks to accomplish is to give the student who attends a deep root and secure foundation in what it means to live a dedicated life to Christ in any field of life they choose to pursue. Whether a sales position, law degree or becoming a police of-ficer, no matter what the field, we are all called to our own min-istry. “The objective of the school will be to help people who at-tend know what they want to do with the rest of their life”, says Gonzales. The Celebration School of Ministry will be available for ages 18 to 30 and will be a true college experience, including living on a campus with the other students. Separate classes and an internship are also available to those interested in a deeper role of serving and spiritual growth for ages 30-plus, on Thursday nights.

I hope you take the time to visit my friends at Celebration Church and meet Pastor Joe Champion. You will be in for a unique worship experience and you’ll see first hand why Celebration Church has experienced exponential growth, with no evidence of decline anywhere on the horizon. If you happen to be a fan of another team other than LSU, the colors won’t reach out and grab your attention like they did mine, but I promise, like me, you will not be disappointed!

Lee Eddins

FOCUS CHURCHES

Pastor Joe

Crystaline Stanley

Daniel Gonzalez and Crystaline

Stanley


There are five ongoing ministries within Northernpath that direct students to Christ:Foundation = A Christian retreat for incoming freshman @ every college. www.foun-dationretreat.com.LIT = Love in Transit started by Joe Elliot from Northwest Fellowship Church. Cam-pus Ministries @ Churches coming together as one body to outreach to local campuses. www.austinlit.com UNITE = Goes after Juniors and Seniors preparing and equipping them for College adventures! www.Unite4Him.org 320 ministries = A local college ministry based in Round Rock. www.320ministries.com Northernpath = A website connecting students to an online community where they can

be equipped, empowered, and encouraged! www.north-ernpath.socialgo.com

320 is a local college group that meets in Round Rock, Texas at New Hope Community Church. They meet on Tuesday nights, 8:00 p.m. (2330 Dry Creek Drive, Round Rock, TX – just behind Hastings Music Store). Each meeting consists of worship, led by David Cloud, and a discussion type message, digging deeper into God’s Word. The group has fun together at retreats, playing volleyball, swimming, etc., as well as teaming up with other groups such as Northwest Fellowship, Hope Student Life, Campus Crusade for Christ and Bethany Methodist for outreach on the ACC campuses. They also team up with SOY (Souled Out Youth) to reach the community. 320 welcomes anyone in the age group 18-24 who has graduated from high school. In college, or not, you are wel-come. Some of the colleges represented are UT, Temple, Southwestern, ACC and Mary Hardin. www.320ministries.com

Colby believes we are all created to be with Christ and nothing else matters. He wants students to realize that it’s not about religion, but about a relationship. This relationship and encounter with Christ will set the college community on an up-ward path of adventure that will change them forever, if they just open the door and invite HIM in…

Marcy Lytle

NORTHERNPATH…great name…what does it signify? “North-ern” indicates a symbolic direction to Christ, and “Path” indicates the way to adventure in Christ. Colby May is the founder of Northern Path, a website geared towards the local and global college commu-nity. Revelation 3:20 “Listen (Behold), I stand at the door and knock

if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in to him and dine with him and him with me”. This verse captures the purpose of Northernpath: God is calling you! He’s knocking! Will you listen? Northernpath desires to point the college genera-tion to encounter an amazing God. www.northernpath.com

SPECIAL FEATURE


What do You Mean, a Man Has a Role?

If you stop and think about it a minute, it might be a good thing if we could somehow travel back in time and boot Adam right in his rear this morning and ask him what in the world he was thinking that fateful day back in the Garden of Eden when he just stood there and watched Eve be tempted by the devil! Where was his leadership? Why did Adam not step in between Eve and the devil and tell Eve “No, Eve- God said” and then proceed to run the devil out of the garden? All he needed to do was say one word, and God would have stepped in and made sure Adam was backed up with strength that only comes from God helping man. We are told throughout the Bible that is how God works!

Welcome to a new monthly column about the leadership role that God intended for a man to take ownership of, in a relationship with a woman. The role is not the tradi-tional role of a man, depicted like the one that brings home the bacon, and the woman is there to be at the beck and call of the man. Nor is it played out where “what the man says goes” because he is the man. No. I am talking about the role of the man-servant as ordained by God and evidenced in His word. We are going to take a journey into what a real man is…so sit back and forget everything you’ve ever thought you knew about being a man.

As it happened, Adam sat there knowing the big rule and let Eve take all the responsibil-ity of messing up the one rule they were giv-en by God. Adam should have been protect-ing Eve! After all, he was given the stronger body and his role was to put her first. Who did Adam put first? Why did Adam not have the backbone to own up to his job when God gave him the opportunity to do so? Why did Adam not say “God, I’m sorry—I knew the rule you gave us, I saw Eve being tempted, and I did nothing but sit there with fascina-tion to see if she would indeed die because she ate first from the forbidden fruit.” I should have Lord and could have Lord—I am sorry Lord, please forgive me—I will do my best not to forget in the future…

If Adam HAD handled himself in such a leadership role, what would have been man’s lot going forward? Would God have allowed forgiveness and allowed Adam and Eve, and you and I, to live in the Garden as He originally intended for all mankind to do? Just maybe the answer there is a big resounding “YES”!

Next month we’ll look deeper at how Adam got us kicked out of the garden.Don Spann


FOCUS RESTAURANTS

BABES Burgers and WingsThere’s almost nothing more American than baseball. I can still remember the smell of the stadium from the first baseball game I ever went to in Atlanta, just like it was yesterday. The hot dogs, the popcorn, the peanuts and oh yeah, the cotton candy! Ah, what great memories those are.

I got a chance to eat at BABES Burgers and Wings in Cedar Park, and let me tell you, they have some great food! I just so happen to be a wing connoisseur. I love wings! I like them boneless, skinless, with a bone with skin, big, small, fried, barbequed, broiled, grilled, no matter how you make wings, I will eat them. So, it should be no surprise that the day my family and I decided to eat there, I ordered 20 wings smothered in BABES Blazin’ Sauce. I have never seen the size wings that BABES Burgers and Wings served me. They were huge! I am not joking. I am 280 lbs (thank God I’m 6’4” too), so let’s just say I can hold my own at the buffet, or with an order of 20 wings. I literally could not fin-ish these wings be-cause they were so big. My wife ordered the cheeseburger. It was an extremely nice size burger and came with a choice of an onion bun, sourdough or interestingly enough, a jalapeno bun. She chose the sourdough bun. We have three kids and they got to have one of my all time childhood favorites, something you don’t see too often anymore, tater tots! I must confess that I ended up eating quite a few of them myself.

BABES Burgers and Wings has only been open in the Buttercup Shopping Center for a couple of weeks. It is a joint venture between Sam West and Scotty Stroup, well-known and respected restaurateurs in Austin, Round Rock and Cedar Park. With such well-known restaurants as Arkie’s Grill in Austin and 1431 Café in Cedar Park, Main Street Grill in Downtown Round Rock and a long time favorite in Round Rock, 620 Café and Bakery, Scotty has put his knowledge and expertise into another fine establishment with BABES Burgers and Wings.

In addition to extreme wings, in size and flavor, and a burger that is big enough for two, they have an extremely versatile menu with everything on it from Chicken Fried Steak to a Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich. They also have a full line of salads, sliders, sandwiches and hot dogs…like the ones at the baseball stadium when you were a kid. I am told that here in Texas, the term is called “comfort food”, which means food that will remind you of home and make you want to come back for more. Where I am from, we just call that “good ole home cookin”. Whatever you want to call it, you’ll love BABES Burgers and Wings.

BABES Burgers and Wings is located at 200 Buttercup Creek #200 in Cedar Park. They are open every day from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm. They will always have a game on one of their 14 television sets during the sporting season and of course you’ll be able to go there to watch any Texas game! It is a fun family atmosphere that your whole family will enjoy, creating memories that last. You can find them on the web at www.BabesBurgersandWings.com or call them at (512) 258-1888.

Lee Eddins

www.RRMainStreetGrill.com


How many people can say they have been to one of the most dangerous federal prisons in Mexico, willingly and on purpose? There’s no business like the news business, and breaking news is Michelle Valles’ favorite part of her job at KEYE-TV CBS 42 in Austin. Deliver-ing the news accurately and live is what she loves! Michelle says “It’s an honor being able to be the messenger for viewers who look to us when it comes to information about their city, safety and even life or death situations with tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.” In addition to the informative side of reporting, she also says that it is fun to be able to interview astronauts, presidents, ath-letes and other celebrities. The most challeng-ing part of her job is being a good storyteller. She says that it is hard to explain the stories,

the developments and the news in a way that is always clear and concise for the view-er. She must be doing a good job though, because she won the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters award for Best Anchor in 2006 and Austin Chronicle readers voted her Best Anchor in 2007 and 2008.

I got the chance to visit the KEYE studios one afternoon and sit down with Michelle and talk to her about her faith, her family, and her career. As a typical viewer of the news, I sometimes forget about the cameras, the lights and the pressures that are part of the “news” business. How does one do it? How does someone handle such a cutthroat business? Faith and family, that’s how.

Michelle did not grow up wanting to be one of the favorite news anchors in the Austin market. In fact, as a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a housekeeper. Yes, that’s right, a housekeeper. This was not because she loved cleaning, by any measure. Her mom was a housekeeper and she used to dream of following in her mom’s footsteps because she had a love for sweets and thought if she became a housekeeper, she’d have a lot of

pantries filled with sweets that she could sneak into. Fortunately, for all news viewers, she did not choose to be a housekeeper and instead chose a different path.

Growing up in El Paso, Michelle’s mom was not always a janitor. She was a stay-at-home mom. However, as the wife of alcoholic, after 20 years of marriage, her mom decided that enough was enough and she left Michelle’s biological father. With three kids and no education, she became a janitor in the local school district. It was through this tough time in her mother’s life that her mom sought out a deeper understanding of what it meant to have a relationship with God and to also teach her kids about this relationship. Her mom was the one who took the time to instill in Michelle a faith in God and teach her that the most important thing in her life was her relationship with Him. To this day, her favorite bible verse is Psalm 56:3-4

3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

Her mom is a living testament to this verse. Living in a rough situation with three kids, she had the strength to trust in God and not be afraid of the future, because she knew that God was in control. This is exactly what that verse is all about. God did have a plan for her mom and her family. Three years after her mother’s divorce from her bio-logical father, Michelle’s mom married a gentleman by the name of Gilbert Burrola. They have been together for 20 years now, and of Burrola, Michelle says “He is truly the most dependable person I have ever met - so loving, so forgiving and thoughtful;

Michelle Valles: The Award-Winning

Storyteller with Heart

Michelle and Willie Nelson

Edward James Olmos and Michelle Valles


he deserves so much credit.” Burrola and her mother read and meditate daily on God’s word. “That’s their thing,” Michelle says.

Her brother and her sister, both her elders, had gone into the military out of high school. Michelle had originally wanted to follow their lead and go into the military as well. They ended up talking her out of it, and Michelle decided to pack her bags and move to Austin and go to the University of Texas. With two packed duffle bags, she headed off to college. With her mom mak-ing a very small paycheck, Michelle had to work at Bennigan’s as a hostess to make the

money to even get to Austin. She graduated

in 1998 and she got her first job in El Paso at KTSM-TV. This is where she would even-tually have her fondest memory and favorite story ever covered. She remembers running in her high heels along the U.S./Mexico bor-der covering drug trafficking raids, the mass graves located in Juarez, and farmers block-ing the international bridges during NAFTA protests. This is where her insatiable love for investigating, researching and uncovering the news originated. She gained exclusive clear-ance to enter a Mexican federal prison, and while on assignment in Mexico, the Presi-dent, Vicente Fox, drove right up to her and rolled down his window to give her a quick interview about border safety.

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes at a high pressure and intense job like reporting the news to hundreds of thousands of people every morning. There is a lot of stress that on-air tele-vision personalities have to go through. Fortunately for Michelle, her brother is the director of Univision in Dallas and gives her good advice on how to more ef-fectively communicate with the technical crew. She gets so much support from her family and this really means a lot to her. There are so many tough critics out there

and she says that her mother is the toughest. Although she is tough on Michelle, she is also her biggest supporter…and if you are an unfair critic, you better be prepared to hear from her first!

Michelle can be seen every morning on KEYE-TV CBS 42 from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. with her counterpart, long time Austin favorite, Fred Cantu. Oh, and if anyone on staff there at KEYE is missing any sweets...you may want to check with Michelle.

Lee Eddins

Left: Javier Jimenez IT Manager Right: David Ruiz- Media Manager

Ben Pollchik - Photojournalist and Michelle in the newsroom

Betty Cross - Meteorologist for KEYE, Michelle, David Ruiz - Media Manager, in

the newsroom

FOCUS KIDS


Terra Toys Not Just Toys, An Experience!When I think about a toy store, a lot of times the big box corporate store comes to mind. I have taken my kids there and never realized that I had done them an injustice. I never

thought that I could be giving them second best when it came to where I took them to shop for toys.

That is until I visited Terra Toys. Terra Toys has to be the best toy store I have ever been in. They have a remarkable selection of toys as well as games games, collector’s items, novelties, art supplies and much much more!

Here are a couple of items for summer at Terra Toys that I prom-ise will keep your children entertained and having fun:

Catch of the Day $25, 3+ years

For your backyard or neighborhood pool, they have water guns, diving toys, remote control submarines, and cool fish-ing toys like this one. Catch of the Day is a battery-operated (water-safe) fish that swims around in the pool until a mag-netic lure nears his mouth, at which point he chomps down and flops about wildly until you reel him in. Far more real-istic than the usual little magnetic fishing games (which they also often have in stock), this toy is fun for kids and hilari-ous for adult fishing enthusiasts. Includes fishing reel, fish, and two magnetic lures.

Solar Paper Kits (and refills) $6- $14, 5+ years

This classic combines creative collage with sun sci-ence. Lay the sheet of light-sensitive blue paper out-side on a sunny day with various objects on top. Within minutes, the areas that are exposed turn white. Rinse the sheet in water. As the paper dries, the exposed ar-eas turn deep blue, leaving behind a white “picture” of the objects. Try lots of different objects and materials to make totally frame-worthy art.

Morphibians, $30, ages 5+

Designed with the rowdy in mind, Morphibians can be used indoors and out - on the sidewalk, in the sand, or in water. I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from moms and kids bubbling with excitement about the versatility and durability of these toys. To further prove their rad-ness, the Shark and the Gator models run on different frequencies so kids won’t get frustrated when they want to race. For extreme fun try the Mor-phibian Mega X Morphibian, $80. It’s twice the size, powerful and fast, stops quickly and turns quickly, and has a rechargable battery pack. Also, it looks awesome!

The other cool thing about Terra Toys is that they keep it a cool 74 degrees, so just stop by anytime and beat the heat for a couple of hours playing with the unique and exciting toys that Terra Toys has to offer.Please visit them on the web at www.TerraToys.com

Lee Eddins

ART LESSONS $7 PER HOURAt Hobby Lobby in Northwest Austin

1-3pm SaturdaysWatercolor, oil, acrylic, and/or pencil drawing7 years old and up, beginning or experienced

Call 821-2263 Cody Davis - Instructor

Over 14 years art instruction experience, Fine Arts Degree U.T. Austin 35 years painting experience

http://marketingdesignsolutions.net/artlessons painted by a 17 year old student

Elegance Photography and Video

SAVE $800 on Wedding Photography and Videography

Starting at $250

Portraits/head shots Regularly $150 - with this coupon $100

Call (512) 821-2263www.elegancephotoandvideo.com

must be booked by 8-31-09


Back to School…Already? August is here, and back-to-school supplies are out in the stores, ready to be purchased. If you have one child or many children, getting back into a routine of going to school, doing homework, signing paperwork, jug-gling schedules, etc. can be quite challenging and over-whelming. Whether you homeschool, send your kids to private school or public school, it takes organization and lots of time…both of which are rare commodities these days. Here are some helpful hints to make the school year run smoothly and hopefully lighten your load, so that your family can spend more time together too!

• Keep extracurricular activities to a minimum. Your kids don’t have to be in every activity offered, just because other kids are doing it. Kids need time to relax at home, and the family needs time for dinner together.

• Create a folder or shelf for each child’s paperwork that needs to be looked at or signed by a parent. Train your children to place this paperwork in this spot as soon as they arrive home.

• Hang hooks near the front door or in a designated place in your home for each backpack. Ask children to place the backpacks there as soon as homework is completed, so that you know they are finished and you can place your paperwork inside and check their work.

• Fill a bin or box with pens, pencils, crayons, markers, a ruler, tape, scissors, etc. so that the family is not scrambling to find these things when projects are assigned. Purchase poster boards ahead of time and keep them with the box.

• Talk with your children about what is expected of them once school starts: when they are expected to do their homework ( right when they get home,

or after a snack, etc.), how much time they are allowed to watch TV, time on the computer or cell phone, etc. Write these expectations down and have them post it in their room for a reminder.

•Purchase or make a calendar where you can list your family members at the top of each column, allowing you to fill in each person’s activities underneath. This way, everyone’s activities are known at a glance. Chores, lessons, games, appointments, etc. can be listed under each person’s name.

•Plan ahead for family time each night, as you can. Each weeknight could have a different activity that doesn’t require a lot of time, but something you can do together. Suggestions are:

▀ Compliment night (each person compliments another person in the family)

▀ Music night (listen together to a song on a CD and worship together)

▀ Devotional night (let each child take a turn preparing a verse, or sharing something from their heart)

▀ An ice-cream run (everyone piles in the car and makes a run to DQ for a cone)

Finally, be there for your kids. Listen to them, love them and support them. Be available and be involved. A little organization ahead of time makes for a fun school year for everyone.

Marcy Lytle

SPECIAL FEATURE


Consumer tips for selecting the best health insurance option

The number of consumers who must purchase health insurance as individuals contin-ues to grow each year. These are people who are working from home, are full-time or part-time workers, or they may work for a small company that doesn't provide insur-ance to its employees.

It is important for these consumers to understand the options that are avail-able when it comes to their coverage, and a licensed insurance agent is the best source for information about in-dividual health insurance. Below are some tips to help prepare you to meet with an agent and to help you make the right choice when it comes to purchas-ing individual health insurance cover-age:

• If you have existing coverage, have your policy ready when you meet with an agent. Explain to the agent what you like and dislike about that coverage. If you don't have coverage, be prepared to tell the agent what you feel a policy should cover.

• Identify "must have" and "like to have" features. Will you need maternity cover-age? What about yearly check-ups and immunizations? Look ahead to the next year and try to identify what medical services you will need, so that you do not end up with medical coverage that does not meet your expectations.

• Know your budget. Consider your lifestyle, potential medical usage, income and expenditures to identify what you can afford to spend each month for health insur-ance.

• It is important that you understand how the coverage will work when you need to use it. Think about some typical medical situations you or your family has expe-rienced and ask the agent to explain how those kinds of events are covered. Ask some "what-ifs" for more catastrophic events too.

• Ask about network options for care, and know whom to contact if you have ques-tions about your coverage.

With this information, you and your agent can start building a plan with coverage that truly reflects you and your family. Taking a proactive approach to your health insurance needs will help you to care for yourself and your family as well as provide coverage that can help with potential medical expenses.

HealthMarkets® is the brand name for products underwritten and issued by the insur-ance subsidiaries of HealthMarkets, Inc. –The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company®,

Mid-West National Life Insurance Company of TennesseeSM and The MEGA Life and Health Insurance Company.SM For 25 years, they have been providing health protection options to individuals and families who must purchase coverage on their own.

We believe it's important to talk to someone who can clearly explain each coverage option

so you select the best plan for you. To receive a free, no-obligations consultation and quote, contact Mark Cohen, licensed insurance agent, at (512) 252- 7000 or (512) 633- 3336 or email Mark at at [email protected].

FOCUS HEALTH


Lakeway’s Very Own Gay Bonorden Gray on HGTVLakeway’s Gay Bonorden Gray, with Best Tex Gardens, was fea-tured on HGTV’s landscaping show, Landscape Smart, July 18, 2009. Gay has been creating landscaping designs for almost ten years now. You might ask, how does one get into landscape design? In the case of Gay Gray, the path was not planned, nor expected.

It all started back in high school in Hearne, TX. Gay was one of those students who excelled in math and science. Her mother, knowing that Gay did well in these subjects, suggested she become an engineer. So Gay went off to Texas A&M University to pursue a degree as an electrical engineer. While pursuing this de-gree, Gay entered a co-op program with the school and was able to work in her chosen field while attending college, She worked with the patent and technology division at Pasadena’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, associated with NASA, and was encouraged by the lawyers there to pursue a law degree after finishing her engineering degree. While gaining this valuable work experience, her life changed directions.

She met some patent attorneys while working the co-op program, and through lots of prayer, she decided to embark upon a law degree. She earned her law degree with hon-ors from the University of Houston and joined a well-known law firm, Arnold, White and Durkee (now merged with Howrey, LLP) practicing intellectual property law with a focus on litigation. She made excellent money, was single and “living the life” in Houston. She was offered another job and moved to the Silicon Valley in California to work at a large high-tech company (Intel Corp.) as an in-house litigator. However, after seven years, she felt like something was missing and needed more out of life. Money or not, life had become a drag and she prayed God would bring something her way that would make her happy.

At her church, Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, CA, they asked one Sunday morn-ing for some volunteers to help with the flower arrangements in the church. She volun-teered, not knowing anything about floral design, and not knowing her prayers would be answered, and her life was about to change.

She worked several Saturdays on the flower arrangements for the Sunday services. She picked out the flowers and greens, and had a great time matching the colors and learning what goes into designing a beautiful arrangement. Listening for God’s answer to her prayer about what to do with her life, this pure joy in designing flower arrange-ments lead her to ornamental horticulture and a love for landscape design. She was hooked, and once again, with lots of prayer, she resigned; this time, from practicing law after eight years. She took a three month sabbatical. During that time she met a lady who had a small landscape design company, and she volunteered to help so she could learn the business. She enrolled in Foothill Community College in Los Altos, CA tak-ing part-time classes in horticulture. While at the community college, Gay befriended a lady who was interested in pursuing a horticulture career. That lady would go on to become a writer for Sunset Magazine, a national publisher of landscaping books and magazines. She recommended one garden designed by Gay to be featured in the national magazine, knowing that Gay had a passion for landscaping and knowing the story of how she had gotten an Electrical Engineering Degree, a Law Degree, had been a litigating attorney for intellectual property, and left all of it to do what she loved - landscape design. Gay’s design was featured in the magazine, and now Gay’s design has appeared in several Sunset books, including those that can currently be purchased in Home Depot and Barnes and Noble. Gay also befriended another lady who would recommend her to the production team for HGTV’s Landscape Smart when they were looking for a landscape designer to feature on the show. Gay was chosen for two of the shows, both airing this summer, most recently on July 18. Gay is a resident of Lakeway, TX and lives with her husband Travis and two children:3 year-old Halle, and 5 year-old Trenton. She also has three grown stepchildren.

Her website is www.BestTexGardens.com.Lee Eddins

Gay Gray

SPECIAL FEATURE

Increasing water safety awareness and standards

For more information, check out our website at

www.colinshope.org

Drowning is the leadingcause of unintentional

injury-related deathin children ages 1-4

Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death ages 1-14.

FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOWABOUT DROWNING

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Children who drown do not scream, splash, or struggle. They silently slip beneath the water, even with adults & lifeguards present.


Music:

Aaron Ivey- Between the Beauty and Chaos

Local church Austin Stone’s newest addition, Aaron Ivey, recently finished his album Between the Beauty and Chaos. Ivey has previously released music under the name Spur 58, along with his bandmates Jimmie Ingram and Steven Bush. They continue to create authentic, worshipful mu-sic that speaks of God and His beauty and also addresses the chaos of an unjust world. Highlights include “Found”, “Amos Story” (inspired by Aaron’s adopted children from Haiti), as well as two hymns he covers flawlessly.

Lauren Turner

Books:

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Have you ever thought that maybe we complicate things? That maybe when Jesus said that the most important com-mandment was simply to love God, he meant it? Crazy Love is a vehicle that invites us to explore ideas such as these and embrace the insane and beautiful love of God. Author Francis Chan writes with an honest simplicity and a passionate heart to see the church embrace love.

Lauren Turner

Movies:

Star Trek: The Future Begins

If you are a die hard Star Trek fan and already have it in your mind that you are going to dislike the “new” Star Trek…think again. Star Trek pleases the hardcore fan, by having an appearance by the original Spock, Leonard Ni-moy and also pleases the Star Trek illiterate by not alien-ating them with all the “Trekkie” technobabble. It did not make me want to run out and watch the old Star Treks from generations past, but it did make me hope there is another one on the horizon. So if you are a Trekkie, don’t let your preconceived notions keep you away from this film…I’d hate to have put the Vulcan nerve pinch on you.

Lee Eddins

August 1 – 30 – Austin Childrens Museum presents Masterkids

August 1 – Cedar Park Business Expo at S. Vista Ridge Parkway from 9 am – 4pm

August 1,7,8,14,15 – Big River at Georgetown Palace Theater at 7:30 pm

August 1 – Modern Times- Kids Only! Minding Your Manners at Neill-Cochran House Museum from 10am – 2pm

August 1 – Round Rock Folklorico Hosts Summer Cultural Fest 2009 at Round Rock Amphitheater from 6pm-9pm

August 1 – Texas Renaissance Festival Wedding Tours at 9 am

August 1 – The Heroes of Texas at The Alamo in San Antonio from 10am – 3pm

August 2,9,16,23 – Austin Symphony Orchestra Concert at Hartman Concert Park at The Long Center from 7:30pm – 9pm

August 3-7 and 10-14 - Manos de Cristo- School Supplies donations- Covenant Presbyterian Church

August 3 – Austin Job Fair at Embassy Suites Austin-North from 11am – 2pm

August 4 – Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp at Dell Diamond

August 4,11,18,25 – Pflugerville Farmers Market at 500 E Pecan St from 3pm – 7pm

August 4,5,6 – Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival from 10am – 12pm

August 5, 12,19,26 – ACM Community Night at Austin Childrens Museum from 5pm-8pm

August 6,7,8 – Bastrop Homecoming and Rodeo at Mayfest Hill from 6pm

August 6 – Free Arthritis Seminar at Texas Orthopedics from 5pm – 7pm

August 6 – Meet the Lender 2009 – Business Loan Fair at Palmer Events Center from 3pm – 7pm

August 8 – American Cheese Society’s Festival of Cheese at the Hilton from 5:30pm – 9pm

August 8,9 – 3v3 Kick it Soccer Tournament at Old Settlers Park

August 8 – Free Interpretive Hike at McKinney Falls from 10am – 11:30am

August 8,9 – Texas Renaissance Festival Job Faire in Plantersville, TX starting at 9am

August 9 – Fight of our Life Gospel Tour at Shoreline Christian Center starting at 7pm

August 11,12,13,14,15 – The Wonderbread Years at Rollins Studio Theatre starting at 8pm

August 15 – 5k for Clay at Clay Madsen Recreation Center from 8am- 1pm

August 16 – 2009 Round Rock Concert Series at Round Rock Amphitheater starting at 7 pm

August 19 – Hot Talk: Summer in the City Speakers Series at the Dell Jewish Community Center from 7pm-9pm

August 19 – Solar Energy Workshop at Jackson Walker Firm from 7:30 am – 3:30pm

August 22 – Fall Vegetable Gardening at River Place Country Club from 10am – 12pm

August 22 - Hang Town! Fundraiser & Water Safety Awareness Event from 11am to 9pm at Hang Town Grill - 5800 Burnet Rd. in the Allendale Shopping Center


including “Red High Heels”, and even performed some new songs. Kellie rocked the field for about an hour before the fireworks show. After the fire-works show, the legendary Jerry Jeff Walker took the stage in the final performance of Freedom Fest. Jerry Jeff has recorded 30

albums, played for five presi-dents and has inspired artists including Garth Brooks, Jimmy Buffet and Pat Green.

Lee Eddins

SPECIAL FEATUREFreedom Fest 09’The Round Rock Express Freedom Fest pre-sented by WIN, was held on July 4th at The Dell Diamond. Music began at 6:00 p.m. with sample performances by four emerg-ing Texas artists as part of the Publik Musik

Project presented by Time Warner Cable and the Saxon Pub.

Ariel Abshire, a 17-year-old singer-songwriter from Austin, opened up the stage at 6:00 pm. Abshire was voted as one of the Top Female Vocalists by the

2009 Austin Chronicle Reader’s Poll. Austin music critic Margaret Moser has compared Ab-shire’s voice to Brenda Lee and Lou Ann Bar-ton. Abshire has recorded sound tracks in films by Robert Rodriguez and Trevor Romain. The Boston Globe’s review of Abshire’s new debut album said, “The title track is so good it’s wor-risome.”

Stacy Barnhill from Marble Falls fol-lowed Abshire’s performance. Barn-hill’s music has been described as “where Southern rock meets Texas Country.” His debut album, Join the Circus was heavily influenced by the unique sounds of Steve Earle, Reck-less Kelly and the Black Crows.

There were two other local artists that evening, Uncle Lucius and The Paula Nelson Band. However, many people came out to Freedom Fest to see one of their favorite American Idol stars live and on stage, Kellie Pickler! Around 8:00 pm Kellie took the stage and performed favorites

Kellie Pickler

Congressman Carter at Freedom Fest

Haley Mendoza and Ariel Abshire

Jay Miller- Owner, COO and Express President with Reese Ryan- Owner and CFO

hangin’ out at Freedom Fest

Lee Eddins- Austin Faith and Family Publisher with Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler rockin’ the field


The Back Pew

Advertiser Directory2 His Shoes3 Jeremy Camp4 Plank’s Pizza5 Lake Travis Podiatry Concordia University6 Hughes Amalgamated Round Rock Serving Center7 620 Café & Bakery Your Local City8 Bush’s Chicken Mission Possible9 Cook Hearing and Balance10 Cedar park Jewelry11 Christian Brothers Austomotive12 Mark Cohen Brothers Financial Consulting Accent Painting13 Main Street Grill Babes Burgers and Wings 1431 Café14 Terra Toys15 Austin Floor and Window Coverings Smokey Mo’s BBQ16 Art Lesson’s Booth Brothers Concert Elegance Photography and Video17 The Word First Baptist Church of Pflugerville18 Chasco Family YMCA Catching Fireflies19 Wellness and Better Health Chiropractic Colin’s Hope21 Texas Hill Fest23 HOTinYourCity.com Celebration Church24 VanRossun Contracting and Consulting

Quips andQuotes

Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.-Will Durant Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without los-ing your temper or your self-confidence.-Robert Frost

I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod; my shadow does that much better.-Plutarch I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.-Michael Jordan

-Point of ViewA well educated astronomer once remarked to a student that, to an astronomer, “man is just an infinitesimal dot in an infinite universe.” The student gave pause to what the teacher had said and remarked to the well educated teacher, ‘That is an interest-ing point of view, but you forget that your infinitesimal dot of a man, is still an astronomer.”

1: which country did Mary and Joseph escape to when Herod killed all the babies in Bethlehem? A. Ammon B. Moab C. Egypt D. Edom

2: John the Baptist ate...? A. Milk and honey B. Locusts and honey C. Unleavened bread D .Figs and pomegranates

3: The elderly widowed prophetess in Jerusalem, who saw Jesus as a baby was? A. Anna B. Rachel C. Tabitha D. Salome

4: Jesus was what age when he was baptised? A. 25 B.30 C. 33 D. 35

5: Who said to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”? A. Joseph B. Elisabeth C. Zechariah D. Simeon

9700 Neenah Avenue, Austin Texas 79717512.671.6100

Sunday Worship Services8:15 and 10:45 am

Sunday School 10:45 amwww.lordoflifeaustin.org, [email protected],

Lord of Life Lutheran Church

Sunday - 8:30 Children & Student Worship, Bible Study | 9:45 am Family Worship, Bible Study | 11:00 am Family Worship | 6:00 Evening Worship | Wednesday - 5:00 - 6:15 pm | Wednesday Supper 6:00 - 8:30 pm AWANA, Youth Activities

First Baptist Round Rock

3405 Oak Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78723512-928-9744

Rev. Oscar B Howard, Jr. Pastor Sunday School - 9:45 amFamily Worship -11:00 am

Bible Study - 7:00 pm Wednesday

Family of God Worship Center International

Freedom Home Baptist Church

Sunday Service Times - 9:30 am 11:30 am 1:30 pm (Spanish) 6:30 pm Wednesday Service - 7:00 pm

Celebration Church

Sunday:Bible Fellowship Groups - 9 am* & 10:30 am Worship Services - 9 am & 10:30 am AWANA Club - 4 pm Evening Service - 6:15 pm *Sign Language Interpretation Provided

First Baptist Pflugerville

Local Church LIstingsBible Trivia

Answer Key

1. C- Egypt2. B – Locusts and honey3. A – Anna4. B – 305. B - Elisabeth

in Hutto Nadine Johnson Elementary SchoolAddress: 955 Carl Stern

Sunday Morning WorshipService Times: Sunday, 10:00 AM Morning Worship

Thursday, 7:15 PM Bible StudyBring your Bible and let’s have some fun!Pastor Christopher Ross (512)569-1870

www.familyofgod.beep.com


Don’t believe the hype?

Come see for yourself...

CelebrationChurchtx.com

austin faith & family- august 2009

Documents

new school year

austin faith family

round rock7 focus

lee eddins

faith stories

new international version

new sweaters

school routines