Christmas is Over/The New Year is Around the Corner!!

Our Christmas this year was wonderful! We had Dad & Mom Holley with us for several days and enjoyed them being here so much! They are so easy to have around. Wendell and Linda came in on Christmas Eve. We all met at Saltgrass Steakhouse to celebrate Dad's birthday. Mmmm good!

Christmas Day was very relaxed and enjoyable. We had a mexican dinner for Christmas instead of the "traditional" foods.
It was really good!

"Santa" blessed us tremendously with gifts this year.


Gene and I both received iPhones (what a shock that was!), the boys were blessed with just about everything they asked for and more. God has truly been good to us and we are so thankful for everything we received! (special thanks to the gift-givers - you know who you are)

Well, two days from now we start a new year. There is no telling what God is going to do here in Pflugerville this year. He has given His promises and we are ready to claim them. I know many of you have promises from God, also, and I'm just expecting to hear the great things happening coming from across the country.

Our boys have grown so much this year - I can't imagine what 2008 will bring!! Cameron will have his liscense next week - pray, saints, pray!! LOL! Chad will turn 14 and Cameron will be 17 this year!! WOW! How did our kids get this old while we have stayed so YOUNG?!!

I pray that you all have a wonderful New Year. Keep us informed on the fulfillment of the promises of God. We love you all!

Santa is coming...

Too bad we are basically looking up his nose. LOL! This old Santa has been around since before I came along. It belonged to my Grandpa Glazier (my mom's Dad) and I still get to see him every year. I am sure that he is now an antique...but so are we, huh!? Isn't it amazing how we turn into little children at Christmas time, though? Be sure and put the cookies and milk out... Santa is coming!

We are so excited to have a few days off with family. This year has brought a lot of changes to our schedule and so it will be nice to slow down for a few days. No school, no entering data for Karla, and no training or marketing for Gene. No church to prepare for! I know that sounds awful, but it all gets overwhelming sometimes and it feels good just to stop. Has anybody else ever feel this way? Dad and Mom came in yesterday and we are enjoying the company.

We had great church today and we spent part of the day shopping and then enjoying a leisurely dinner tonight. God has been so good to us! Things are not always perfect, but He is. We are pleased to report that our prison ministry had 11 people filled with the Holy Ghost last weekend— 7 in Lockhart and 4 in Bryan! It is exciting to see. We will also be starting the Spirit of Freedom, "Christian Intervention Program" in January. Bro. Howard Pastorella will be coming on January 30th for a Introductory Service. It is a way to basically teach the plan of salvation and God's overcoming power to those who are on probation or battling addictions. There is a huge population of those who need this kind of training. Why not let the teaching be about the Acts 2 experience? It really changes a life!

We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
Have a great time with your family...they are a gift from God.

Happy 'Holley'days!

Well, finally I have a second to sit down at the computer and let you know about our week! We enjoyed having Felicia Frazier here as our guest last weekend. We spent much of the time shopping, working and such— and we made her go with us but she said she had a good time. We did laugh a lot! Somehow she avoided our camera the whole weekend!?! So I have added one here from her sister Jeannie's wedding.

She took the pictures of our Christmas for Christ service for us. Included here are a couple pictures. We had each family bring their pledges or offering with prayer requests listed inside and then we prayed for each one of them for God's blessing on them.

When all was said and done, we had over $900 come in for Christmas for Christ! We are so excited about the great offering! It will be sent to the United Pentecostal Church to help start churches like ours in North America.

Our annual Christmas Gathering was this Wednesday night. We had a great time with 47 in attendance. We ate and watched our year in pictures. We had door prizes...

and gifts for all the children (here's a couple of our new friends)...

Karla had to run to WalMart during the gathering to get more children's gifts because we had more than we expected! A great problem!!!

The church blessed and surprised us with a cash Christmas gift to our family. They are so sweet.

We are looking forward to Mom and Dad being here tomorrow and the Elms coming in on Monday. Things have been so crazy recently with all of the job requirements and keeping the church running that we are looking forward to putting it all aside for a few days and enjoying family.
Have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy some time with those who are important in your life!

Chad's Drum Recital

Our church is hosting the Pfluger-Rock School of Music's Winter Recitals. Friday night was the Drum/Guitar/Voice Recitals. There were two of them with our building filled to capacity in both sessions! We also will host two more tomorrow afternoon following service. These will be piano recitals.  It is great exposure for our church.

Our son, Chad, has been taking drum lessons from Mark Ramsey since we moved to Pflugerville in August of 2006. He recently took a break from lessons, but Mark wanted him to be in the recital and then also to play along with another song by a guitarist.  I thought I would share his recital song, "Takin' it to the Streets" by the Doobie Brothers. He is doing very well and helps so much in our church services! You did great Chad! We are so proud of your accomplishments.

 

Great Weekend in pFLUville!

We had a great weekend of fun, fellowship and church! (I'll explain pFLUville in a minute!)  Keith, Carla (my cousin/sister), Mallory and Taylor Clark came in on Friday and we toured Austin, talking non-stop for 3 days!  Friday night we had a relaxing 3 hour dinner at The Cheesecake Factory and a stroll through the Arboretum.  Saturday we slept in a little and shopped at the Outlets in Round Rock.  We then drove to downtown Austin and took our own tour of the Texas Capital building.  It was a blast!

We then went to Spaghetti Warehouse downtown and even enjoyed a magic show right at our table!  The magician was great!  He is a biology major at the University of Texas using this trade to pay his way through.

And then today, Sunday, we had a great service with a missionary family and the Clarks!  The Grations from Papua New Guinea were with us and we took on our second missionary partner.  They are actually Australian natives and talk so cool!  Their presentation was SO touching.  

We had so many out of church today.  (I have been in bed since last Sunday after church until this Thursday evening with the flu.  I had to go to the doctor on Monday for another appointment and while I was there, I told them that I was so sick and they did a test determining that I had the beginnings of the flu.  So most of this week has been very painful!)  It seems that it hit our whole church at once.  We had 5 families that were out today due to the flu!  So, Bro. Gration acted like he made a slip-up when he was talking.  He said he was so happy to be in "pFLUville" today!

Even with many out, today's service was so special.  Carla Clark sang a special with a soundtrack and it was so good!  Then Bro. Keith Clark preached a message on seizing the opportunity before us - a very timely reminder to go for it!  It was so enjoyable having them here and visiting.  Their burden for the work of God is so evident in talking and spending time with them.  

We kind of informally called this weekend a "Missions Sunday!"  We had foreign and home missionaries with us and our church so enjoyed hearing the burdens of God's called.  Our visitor gentleman from Wednesday night was back and cried through much of the service.  God is doing a work - even in the midst of "pFLUville!"  Have a great week — wash your hands often, just wave at people instead of shaking their hand, drink lots of water and stay away from people who are coughing and sneezing!!!!!

Making Memories

I was at a meeting earlier this week, and the leader was talking about making a memory.  She told of how one night during the previous week her 17-year-old son said, "Mom, let's make some cookies."  She said her immediate thought was, "Oh!  Not right now.  There's too much to do!"  But instead she looked at him and said, "Sure!"  She knows her time with him at home is limited and even during this busy time she didn't want to miss the opportunity to make a memory with him.

I took that to heart and bought chocolate chips when I went to the store last night.  I don't know how long it's been since I made cookies "from scratch".  The break-and-bake are just too easy and too good to pass up.  But... yesterday I just wanted to do something different.  Cameron ended up helping me some with the cookies.  
The boys took the time to wrestle in the floor.
 We decorated our memory-tree after dinner. It was just one of those nights you treasure.


I hope each of you will take the time to make some memories this year.  Time flies!!  And even thought I have thoroughly enjoyed every stage of my boys lives, I realize that I only have them at 'home' for a few more years.  I want to make the most of every moment!  One of these days our family will 'grow' and we'll continue to make memories of a different kind.

Below are a couple of pictures of the boys with their "first Christmas" ornaments - 16 and 13 years later!!!

Quick Update AND a CD Review

We had a brand new man at church tonight. He came as a result of a flyer being left on his door!!!! We were so excited! You never know when someone will show up. He said he would be back on Sunday.

Now... for the CD.

Those of you who know me know that I think David Phelps is probably the most incredible singer EVER!! Well, his new Christmas CD proves that he is. We purchased the cd from iTunes last night, and I've just been blown away by the talent he has.

First of all - his range is beyond words!! He can basically hit bass notes then he soars through the roof to hit the highest notes of any man I've ever heard.

Second - I found out through reading about this cd that he does ALL the vocals on EVERY song except one or two. You'll just have to hear it to be as impressed as I am. It's incredible.

Third - the choice and arrangement of songs is awesome. I knew from hearing him with the Gaither Vocal Band previously that he is a great arranger, but this cd takes him beyond anything I've ever heard.

Let me just say - YOU NEED TO GET THIS CD!!! LOL! If you're unsure about it, then go to iTunes and listen to a few clips. My favorites are "Hallelujah!" (you won't believe there's only ONE person singing all those parts!), "One Wintry Night", "O Holy Night" (no one sings this song like David!) and "Santa Claus Tonight".

Oh forget it!! Just buy the whole cd!! LOL! Let me know what you think.

He's Been Good!

We have had a wonderful time this weekend! Our very first Revival services were held with Evangelist Greg Henry and his family, Monya, Macey and Melody. The Lord and them were awesome! The presence of the Lord moved in a mighty way and every service took us to a higher place in the Spirit. The Lord knows exactly what we need and when we need it...He provided just that.

It was so cute— the Henry's youngest, Melody, picked up some flyers on the first night of the Revival and carried them everywhere she went. She invited the workers at the front desk of the hotel and then also invited people in Target the next day! She was determined to let people know about our church! On the way to church the second night, she tapped her dad on the shoulder and tried to give him a flyer. He said, "I don't need it." She said, "It has a map on it, in case you get confused!" She was bound and determined to hand them out.

We started our choir this weekend also! They sang two songs on Friday night and then one on Sunday morning. We videoed the Sunday morning song and have uploaded it to YouTube. I have included it here. They did so awesome, especially for the first time to sing! Bro. Michael Crawford was the soloist. They really enjoy singing and it shows. You will hear some bobbles, but you know how live recordings and performances are.



It seemed like the weekend was over in a flash! We really feel like our church has been lifted to a new level. We are ready for take-off into the new year and what it will bring! NOW - all the Christmas stuff starts!

Thanksgiving

We were able to go "home" to Wichita Falls for a few days during Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time being with family and eating - you all know how that is! LOL! We stayed with Mom & Dad then went to Wendell & Linda's house for Thanksgiving dinner. There's always a lot of laughter and joy when we all get together. Enjoy the pictures!

Linda decorated a beautiful table!

Here is sweet Ashlynn. She's growing up so much and fixing to start walking. Look out Andrew & Mandy!!

Dad is enjoying the sights and sounds of Thanksgiving. A girl couldn't ask for a better father-in-law.

We had SOOOOO much food!!

I'm thankful for my boys - they are wonderful and are becoming great young MEN!

The girls had their own special table for their Thanksgiving meal.

Mom & Linda smiling beautifully after a successful Thanksgiving meal.

Savana & Alayna always want Chad to build them a "tent" to play in. Here's the result of this years work.

Macy's Christmas Tree Lighting

A week ago we went to The Domain to be a part of the Macy's Christmas Tree Lighting. It was really neat. The tree is forty feet tall and covered in lights. At the end, they set off fireworks - they were AWESOME!!! This event was sponsored by KVUE and was broadcast live. Bro. Rex Johnson's chorale sang at the beginning of the program, and there were other singers as well. On one of the songs Kaitlynn Johnson and Jonathan Moore took the lead. What can you say about incredible singers?!! "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"