Official Noah Trailer

The trailer for Paramount’s highly anticipated blockbuster "NOAH" has finally arrived!

Check it out! 

Synopsis: After visions of an apocalyptic deluge, Noah, the world’s only righteous man, is chosen to undertake a divine mission to build a massive ark to save his family and all of creation before the impending rains fall and the flood waters rise. 

Cast: Russell Crowe, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson.

Director: Darren Aronofsky

 

An Open Letter To The "Haves"

Dear "Have",

I'm a "have not". You call me poor. You call me disadvantaged. You put me in the category "needy".

I'm writing to you today to tell you that I am human.

I'm a living, breathing, human being, just like you.

I often look like you. I'm your neighbor. I sit in front of you at church on Sunday morning. We pick up our children from the same Sunday School classroom. I stand next to you in line at the grocery store. I'm at your child's soccer game. I'm white. I'm black. I'm young. I'm old. I'm skinny. I'm plump.

Sometimes I wear shabby clothes and sit on a street corner. More often you can't tell me apart from most other people. You think you know me. You think that you have me all figured out.

I milk the system, you say. I waste the money that you give me on drugs and alcohol. I get my nails done and wear a decent coat. I see you look at the car that I drive. I'm picky when I want decent food for my children. The kind that you feed yours. "If she's hungry, she should just be thankful for what she gets."

Don't think that I don't hear you.

I get everything for free, because I don't like to work. I lie. I hide income. I continue to have babies so that I can get more money.

Don't think that I don't hear you. 

But did you know?

...that I long to be like you.
...that I never wanted to be in this predicament.
...that I have never used drugs or drank.
...that my friend treated me to a manicure and a pedicure.

Did you know?

...that a kind person gave me the car. It has 100,000 miles on the speedometer that you can't see.
...that Yes! I want my children to eat decent food. Don't you?
 ...and that I AM thankful for what I receive.

Did you know?

...that I can't work because I can't find a job.
...that because the system sucks, I can support my family better on welfare than working a job at McDonald's.

I hear you. I hear you say, "if you're hungry, you'll take any job."

Oh, how I wish you really knew me.

I have hopes and dreams. I love my children with every ounce of my being, and I only want what's best for them.

I just want to be normal.

I just want to feel a sense of security and safety.

I want to have enough. I don't want millions. I. just. want. enough.

Did you know?

...that at this time of year, right before the holidays, I fight the worst depression.

...that I throw up sometimes when I watch TV commercials that show families around the Thanksgiving table.

...that when you see me leave a room, it's because I can't listen to you talk about Christmas shopping,  because what is so normal for you is impossible for me.

I just want to be normal.

I CAN'T STAND IT!!!

Jesus told a story in the Bible about a man named Lazarus and a rich man. Lazarus was a beggar and he and the rich man had both died and gone to their respective eternal destinations. There was a great chasm separating them, fixed and uncrossable. Even though I'm not the "rich" in this story, I feel like there's a great chasm between you and I. No matter how I beg. No matter how I try, I can't get to where you are. I just want you to dip the tip of your finger in some water and cross over to me.

I just want to be normal.
I just want to provide a decent life for my children.
I just want to stop crying.
I just want to smile once in a while.

I just want you to stop judging me.

You don't know me.

Don't paint me with a long brush of generalizations. Some bad apples don't spoil the whole bunch.

If you took the time to hear my story. If you took the time to get to know me.

You would find out that I have more faith in my little finger than you will have your whole life.

Because faith is ALL I have. 

You see, when you're down to nothing, when you're down and out, if you don't have faith that somewhere, somehow, SOMEONE will rescue you, 

you'll hang yourself. 

You are my brother and sister in Christ. And that's the saddest part of all. Shouldn't we treat each other better? We're family. We have the same blood flowing through our veins. The precious blood of our Savior, Jesus, the Christ.

Can I be brutally honest with you? Those who you call "lost", "unsaved", "pagan", pay more attention to me than you. When your sideways glances let me know that my chances are better off on the streets, there's something wrong. When no one says hello on Sunday morning or when I'm whisked away before I can set foot in the sanctuary.  

Our big brother told us to be on the lookout for people just like me. When you help me, you are ministering to Him. He left His throne in Heaven to become just like me. 

I'm the one on the corner. I'm the one in the give out line. I'm the one at Kroger looking through the discount expired food table. I may even be the one who looks a lot like you, but has tears rolling down her cheeks on Sunday morning. If someone doesn't help me we'll eat Mac and Cheese for Thanksgiving dinner. I'll have to scrape the cheese to put over the noodles. My children's names are hanging on an Angel Tree. 

I have to keep the lights on. It's winter and it's cold and I have to keep the heat on.

Have you ever had to choose between paying a bill and buying food or medicine?

Do you honestly think I like government cheese and day old bread? That I would choose this life?

The Bible says that the Lord has assigned me my portion and my cup. It is what it is. I sometimes think that maybe it's so that you can be put to the test.

Will you see the face of Jesus when you look at me? Will you value me as a person enough to give me a hug even if I don't smell so swell? Will you stop assuming and stop others from talking trash about me?


I just want you to know me. Because you don't.

Thanks for listening,
A "have not" 


 

STOP! PLEASE READ! I NEED YOUR HELP!

Geez! I hope that got your attention, because I really need you to read this and help me out! 

Last night I was so inspired by the words of a fellow blogger.  I don't even know how I came upon her post, but it really got me. It got me so much that I just couldn't sleep. Now, there's nothing in her post to indicate to me that she's a Christian. She may be or not. Right now it doesn't matter to me. Her words rattled something inside of me, and it has brought a little discussion on my Facebook page as well.

After reading this blog post, I did what many of us do. I start clicking other links within that post, and to call it going on a rabbit trail would be an understatement. Only this time, it led me somewhere. It led me to an idea, and that idea took on life and breathed in my face, 

"YOU could do this!" 

Tucked away in a far corner of my church on the eastside of Detroit, is a gem of a ministry. It's a food pantry. It's called "My Father's Business", and that friend, is exactly what's going on in there. 

MFB is run totally by volunteers who have been serving for more than a decade. I know most of these volunteers because my husband and I had the amazing privilege to be the directors of MFB for quite a few years. These are good people. These are Jesus people. They are His hands and His feet, loving and caring for the poor, as if Our Savior Himself were there on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. They do it because they love the Lord and they love His people. They have His heart, because, don't you know, He loved the poor! 

I'm stepping out in faith here. I'm stepping out of the proverbial boat. I'm jumping off the cliff.

This is where you come in. 

I want to help, but I can't do this alone. 

The holidays are almost upon us and that means that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. 

I would like to bless My Father's Business with the ability to provide 50 complete Thanksgiving meals to those who come for assistance. 

It costs on average about $40.00 for one meal. I'm talking about the stuff I would serve my family. Not substandard. If I wouldn't serve it on my Thanksgiving table, it won't be good enough to buy for someone else. 

$40 x 50 meals = $2000.00

Forty dollars is all it would take to provide joy to a family sitting around their Thanksgiving table, without worrying about how they will have to skip a bill to provide a holiday meal for their family. A warm, cozy, nutritious turkey and all the fixin's. 

The single mom trying to make ends meet.

The senior on a fixed income.

The family whose Daddy just lost his job. 

For some of us, forty dollars is a drop in the bucket. 

For some of us, that's a few less trips to Starbucks this month.

 But for some, it's down right impossible.

I'll do the shopping. I'll do the delivering to the pantry when it's all gathered.



 Visit Paypal and send $40 to schultzdd@gmail.com,
and I'll take care of the rest. I'll even give you a receipt, if you request one! 

I am SO very thankful for your donation!

If you can't do $40, maybe $20 would be easier, and I can link your money with another $20 donor to buy a meal. Whatever you can do would be so helpful. Maybe you can only donate $10.
Five dollars would be greatly appreciated!
No gift is too small.
It's that simple! I'll do all the leg work! 

You'll get the blessing!  

If we raise more than the required amount for 50 meals, the rest will be donated to
My Father's Business.

You can check back to this post periodically, and I'll post our progress in the comment section. 

So, I'm kinda sick to my stomach pushing "Publish" on this one, but that's what faith is. 

What's the worst that can happen, right? No one responds and I'll look like a fool.

But, but, but! If YOU respond, and the next person responds, and the next, and the next, WE can accomplish something amazing for those in need and for this great ministry! 

I need your help!

Will you help? 

 

Happy Third Birthday, Mister Man!

Mister Man…

On this, the weekend of your third birthday, Gigi doesn’t have a lot of words. You probably don’t know what writer’s block is, but Gigi has it.

But my heart. What is my heart? Broken? Full? Yes. A little bit of both.

I'm kind of a mess right now. You can ask Jesus. He has to listen to me go and on, every day, all day. He's so patient isn't He?

But how could I not write to you again? Each year since it happened. Each year a letter. Each year fingers to the keyboard sending words to you.

Each year one year closer.

To Jesus.

To you, Mister Man.

If things go the way of the natural order of things, I should see you with my own eyes soon. Soon is relative, but I can't wait to lay my eyes on you, sweet baby boy.

But you're not a baby anymore, are you?

I asked Jesus this morning how that works? Are you still a babe in His arms, or do you grow each year like you would if you were here? I wish I knew. It doesn't really matter, I guess, but I would like to know how to picture you in my mind.

I picture you three. I picture you walking like a little man. I picture you catching balls and learning how to throw overhand. I'll bet you've learned to ride a tricycle and do you love puzzles?

Something I read said that a three year old understands the concepts of "now", "soon", and "later".

I get that.

Now you are not here.

Soon I will see you.

Later, we'll all be together. Your Mama and your Daddy, and your two beautiful sisters. Gigi and Pippy, Grandma and Grandpa, your aunts and uncles and cousins.

Each year that passes is one year closer to you.

Until then...

I heard this song this year, Mister Man. Every time I hear it, something gets in my eyes and they leak. You probably don't know anything about that, do you? The Bible says that there are no tears in Heaven.

I want to share the song with you. I also want anyone reading this tonight, who is missing someone who has gone to Heaven, to hear it and be comforted by it's message.


So, my precious little guy. How do I end this letter?

I'll end by taking another look at your sweet face on the picture and by kissing those little lips so tenderly.

I asked Jesus to give you a kiss and a giant hug for me and wish you a Happy Birthday. Did He do that? I'll bet that He did. He is so good!

Now, you are not here.

Soon I will see you.

Later we will all be together.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Mister Man!

Gigi loves you so.

1 Thessalonians 4: 14 "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."