You should be recycling. I am. So is Zack. You should tell your neighbors, tell your schools, and tell your local crossing guard that we are recycling. We have already turned in enough cans and bottles for $95. We will be hanging out at the church this Saturday from 9am to noon. Bring us whatever you have saved over the weeks. Or you can bring it all in on Sunday.

Does your school have a Christian Club? If so I want to come and visit.

Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner. This is as big a deal as a good New Year celebration. Where are you watching the game. The decision you make could affect how you look at football for the next year. When making your decision you need to take into consideration a couple factors. The first factor is visual. Are you going to be at a house with good TV options. You want to have an unobstructed view and a comfortable seat. It’s a long game to be leaning around someone’s head or to be constantly adjusting the cushions. Next you want to evaluate to food situation. You want to make sure you are at a party with several snack options with a solid main course. Last of the main necessities is the half-time entertainment. I recommend going with a party that has at least a dart board, basketball hoop, or a ping pong table. Plan on an extra long half-time.
Enjoy the game, don’t forget to come to church 1st.
God is good.
Jared

2009 is here. I like the New Year because it is a reason to start fresh. With all the chaos which is our lives, sometimes it feels really good to start over. Sometimes getting a clean slate is so refreshing because there is hope. Hope for change and for something better. A new beginning. Something feels good about a clean slate. I like not having the mess I have created all around me. I do make a mess.
No matter how many times I get a clean slate, I end up getting messy again. Thank goodness we have a God that erases the board as often as we ask. If your spiritual life is a mess then you are probably like most people.
Take a moment and ask God for a clean slate. Ask for God to forgive you for the mess you created. Ask God to make you fresh and new. God loves you.

Hosea 12:1-2
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.

Jared

So how was your Thanksgiving? That seems to be the popular question when you get back to school, but really I want to know

Mine was pretty good, the day after I got to go over to my friend Jimmy's house and this guy Jake was there. Ever since Jr. High, the three of us (me, Jimmy, and Jake) have been really good friends. So we were hanging out and we started talking about all the fun times we had way back when.

One of my favorite stories we talked about was from our 7th grade year. The three of us had history together, and the teacher decided the best way to teach us about Japan was to play this game over a month or so of classes. The game was very similar to Risk. There was a map of Japan in the classroom showing all of the different provinces and the goal was to have control over as much of the map as possible. The way you earned soldiers and moves you can make was by turning in your homework...they always make it about the homework. So we started and my group was given a homebase on an island with two was in and out. One way was to the west and the other to the north. The interesting part about the enterence to the North was the fact that it lead right to Jimmy's team homebase. So I decided to make a truce with Jimmy's team. This was smart of me if I do say so myself because they had the best opportunity to destroy us (which wasnt possible under the truce) and it made no one else able to attack us from the north (because they would have had to go through Jimmy). So everything was perfect.

The last week comes around and Jimmy's team is way, way ahead of every other group. So I, being a good friend, was proud of Jimmy and I showed Him how proud I was by going against our truce and making a truce with everyone else to attack them all in five minutes. So this kinda bummed Jimmy out...I thought it was funny. I think they still one but all i remember is how i went against the promise I made with my friend and attacked him with a bunch of people.

So the moral is- don't backstab your friends...unless if they are about to take over Japan.

Don't forget...Paradigm is coming

Zack

Go to Winter Camp

Thanksgiving, oh Thanksgiving. What a time? What a time? I have very different memories around Thanksgiving. I remember the Thanksgiving about 6 years ago when I went with my family to an Uncles house in Paso Robles. It was a special one for being Thankful. On Thanksgiving night my cousin and I decided to hop on a little 50cc scooter. We would take turns racing back and forth down the really long drive way. It was so long it was more like a road. You could get up to about 30mph maybe 35 on the downhill parts. Well my brilliant mind decided I would go faster than ever. I zoomed out the complex nice and find, turned around, and headed back to the house. I flew through the and up a hill to turn 1 (a fairly sharp right bank with the apex not in an easy location). As I rounded turn 1 I had speed I was not ready for. I was head down the hill on the road where I wanted but this time I was drifting to the left. Before I knew it, I was about to ride right off the road. Rather than tumble down a steep hill to the left and wind up in a fence and fence posts, I ditched the bike and slid on straight concrete. I think I rolled at first but some how I got to a perfect sliding position. I was on my hands and knees. I ruined a good pair of polo jeans, my knee is shredded, and my hands were bleeding in 2 inch squares near my palm. I was hurt. I went to bed that night quite delirious from all the shock. My parents were already asleep so I thought I would just tell them in the morning. My parents weren’t particularly thrilled as you could imagine. My dad told me we needed to clean the wounds. I cried. Literally. Tears. I can’t tell what it is like to rub your hands with soap when you have no skin. I did heal minus my hand looking a little different. But I am lucky. I was racing on a motor vehicle with 2 wheels without a helmet. I hand a few painful months but I could have ruined years. This Thanksgiving be thankful and be careful. I’m thankful for my life. What are you thankful for?

Emily Molter- I am thankful for my family, because they have made me the person I am today, and they have always loved and supported me. We have shared so many memories, and I can't live without them! I wouldn't be where I am today without the love of my parents, brother, and sisters.

Russell Conlin- What am i thankful for?
when i think of what i am thankful for i dont think objects or even people. now im not saying that the home i have and the family i have are not important to me, because they are. No, when i think of what im thankful for what comes to mind is mercy, and grace. Those two words, or those two aspects of life have been such a huge part of my life for the past few years. Whether i did something stupid and my parents were merciful in the way they came down on me, or if it was someone being gracious enough to allow me to work with jr. highers. So ya im thankful for mercy and grace, and also excited to see how those words allow me to rub them off onto the people im around.

Tiffany Velasco- I am thankful to be a part of WACC =)

- I am thankful for my family.

I am thankful for my little sister--she's always an encouragement. - Christian Martinez

Katie Watson- I'm thankful for beautiful sunrises that remind me of new opportunity and second chances. I'm thankful for a family who loves unconditionally. I'm grateful for the little difficulties of life which bring me to dependence on God. I'm thankful for the stars which illuminate the night sky. I'm grateful for the fact that Christ loves me and allows me to come just as I am, but does not leave me just as I am. I am grateful for brothers and sisters who encourage me when I'm down and tell me the truth when I need to hear it most. I'm grateful that I have the privilege of getting a quality education, and worshipping God openly. I'm grateful that this life isn't all there is, and that there is always hope. And lastly, I'm grateful for the indescribable joy I find in Christ Jesus.

Megan Jackson- I am thankful for my family and friends who are always lovingly there for me in my times of need. I love them all!!

Zack Thompson- For good music, and I mean good music...and people to share it with, for a great piece of gouda, grape juice, and that whole unconditional salvation thing.

Go outside and play.

A huge shout out to anyone who played football with us the other Saturday. It was really fun. I think we should do it again sometime. But in the mean time, you shouldn’t hesitate to go outside. The weather is so fantastic right now. Every evening seems prettier than the next. Why not watch the sun go down while running around at a park, going for a bike ride, or playing hide and go seek? I am going to go outside and play right now. Only I think I am going to play golf. PEAcE

If you are ever interested in learning from the Bible, sign up for our E-B-studY. (What a lame name?) But really its good. Email jpowell@wacc.net and say you would like to be added to the list. We are in Matthew. I wouldn’t mind going through many of the books.

WINTER CAMP!!!!!!GO TO WINTER CAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FOREST HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!JAN 9 – 11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WINTER CAMP