Family in Need...

There have been so many times that our Spirit-FM family has risen up to care for those with immediate needs. This is one of those times when I pray you will be able to help out. I received an email about a family with immediate needs following a house fire. Here is a list of things they could use to get back on their feet:

A Couch
A Dinner table (Hopefully to fit a family of 7)
2 single beds (for girls if it makes a difference)
Bedding (single size beds, one queen size)
Bathroom items
Small kitchen appliances, like a toaster, coffee maker, can opener,
etc. (major appliances are taken care of)
Clothes Hangers
Shelves
Any storage type containers for the kitchen
6 interior doors

And if anyone is willing to help donate for paint products or flooring
products, it would be a MAJOR blessing!


The family told me that they do not need fancy things - they would appreciate any and all offers!!

If you can help out in any way, please email me: fred@spiritfm.org or call me at the Spirit-FM Studio...800-606-3299. Thank you so much for your help, my Spirit-FM family!!!

His,

-Fredly.

Expiration Checkup...

Certain items in your house practically scream “toss me” when their prime has passed. That mysterious extra white layer on the Cheddar? A sure sign it needs to be put out of its misery. Chunky milk? Down the drain it goes - the following are expiration dates of everyday items:

Brown sugar - Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moisture proof container in a cool, dry place.

Chocolate (Hershey bar) - 1 year from production date

Coffee, canned ground - Unopened: 2 years Opened: 1 month refrigerated

Coffee, gourmet - Beans: 3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Ground: 1 week in sealed container

Coffee, instant - Unopened: Up to 2 years Opened: Up to 1 month

Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles) - Unopened: 3 months from "best by" date. Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected.

Dried pasta - 12 months

Frozen dinners - Unopened: 12 to 18 months

Frozen vegetables - Unopened: 18 to 24 months Opened: 1 month

Honey - Indefinite shelf life

Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry) - Unopened: 8 months from production date
Opened: 7 to 10 days

Ketchup - Unopened: 1 year (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.) Opened or used: 4 to 6 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Maple syrup, real or imitation - 1 year

Maraschino cherries - Unopened: 3 to 4 years Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated

Marshmallows - Unopened: 40 weeks Opened: 3 months

Mayonnaise - Unopened: Indefinitely Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mustard - 2 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Olives, jarred (green with pimento) - Unopened: 3 years Opened: 3 months

Olive oil - 2 years from manufacture date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Peanuts - Unopened: 1 to 2 years unless frozen or refrigerated Opened: 1 to 2 weeks in airtight container

Peanut butter, natural - 9 months

Peanut butter, processed (Jif) - Unopened: 2 years Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months

Pickles - Unopened: 18 months Opened: No conclusive data. Discard if slippery or excessively soft.
Protein bars (PowerBars) - Unopened: 10 to 12 months. Check "best by" date on the package.

Rice, white - 2 years from date on box or date of purchase

Salad dressing, bottled - Unopened: 12 months after "best by" date Opened: 9 months refrigerated

Soda, regular - Unopened: In cans or glass bottles, 9 months from "best by" date
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected

Steak sauce - 33 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Tabasco - 5 years, stored in a cool, dry place

Tea bags (Lipton) - Use within 2 years of opening the package

Tuna, canned - Unopened: 1 year from purchase date Opened: 3 to 4 days, not stored in can

Soy sauce, bottled - Unopened: 2 years Opened: 3 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Vinegar 42 months - Wine (red, white) Unopened: 3 years from vintage date; 20 to 100 years for fine wines Opened: 1 week refrigerated and corked

Worcestershire sauce - Unopened: 5 to 10 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.) Opened: 2 years

This was just TOO funny not to share!

How To Know When You Are Ready For Parenthood…

MESS TEST: Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Now rub your hands in the wet flower bed and rub on the walls. Cover the stains with crayons. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.

TOY TEST: Obtain a 55-gallon box of LEGOs. (If LEGOs are not available, you may substitute roofing tacks or broken bottles.) Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream (this could wake a child at night).

GROCERY STORE TEST: Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop at the grocery store. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.

DRESSING TEST: Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff it into a small net bag making sure that all arms stay inside.

FEEDING TEST: Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill it halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a stout cord. Get the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal (such as Fruit Loops or Cheerios) into the mouth of the jug while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.

NIGHT TEST: Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8 to 12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 8 PM begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9 PM. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 PM. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing them until 4:00 AM. Set alarm for 5:00 AM. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.

PHYSICAL TEST (WOMEN): Obtain a large beanbag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 mo. Now remove 10% of the beans.

PHYSICAL TEST (MEN): Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.

FINAL ASSIGNMENT: Find a couple who already has a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their child's discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training, and table manners. Suggest many things they can improve as well. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run riot. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you'll have all the answers.

Just because it doesn't make the show, doesn't mean it's not funny...

Thought I'd share some things today that might not make the show, but they sure have put a smile on my face - and you might even be able to relate a little bit. I sure love you, and am glad that you have allowed my family to be a part of yours! Have a truly blessed day!

-Fredly.

(And now - on to the silliness!)

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"Bath Note"

Dear Kids,

Don't be alarmed, the world isn't coming to an end. I am simply taking a bath. It will take about thirty minutes and will involve soap and water. Yes, I know how to swim. Even if I didn't, forcing myself to drown in a half-inch of lukewarm water is more work than I've got energy for. (Which reminds me, I'm all for science projects, but the next time you want to see if Play-Doh floats, use cold water.)

Don't panic if I'm not out right on time. I've heard that people don't dissolve in water and I'd like to test the theory. While I'm in the tub, I'd like you to remember a few things. The large slab of wood between us is called a door. Do not bang to hear my voice. I promise that even though you can't see me, I *am* on the other side. I'm not digging an escape tunnel and running for the border, no matter what I said a while ago. I didn't mean it. Honest. There will be plenty of time later to tell me about your day.

"Later" means at a time when I am no longer naked, wet, and contemplating bubble gum in the blow dryer. I know you have important things to tell me. Please let one of them be that you have invented a new way to blow bubbles, not a new way to add gum to your hair.

Believe it or not, shouting, "TELEPHONE!" through the closed bathroom door will *not* make the phone stop ringing. Answer it and take a message. Since Amazing Mind-Reading Mom has the day off, you'll need to write that message down. Use paper and a pencil. Do not use your brother and the laundry marker. We can't send him to school with telephone number tattoos.

Water makes me wet, not deaf. I can still tell the difference between the sound of "nothing" and the sound of a child playing the piano with a basketball. I can also hear you tattling at the top of your lungs. I'm *choosing* NOT to answer you.

Don't call your dad at work and tell him I am unconscious in the bathroom. He didn't appreciate it last time. He won't appreciate it more this time. Trust me.

No matter how much I would like it, water does not make me forgetful. I remember who you are and why you are grounded. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to play. No, you can't go to Shelby's house to use the bathroom. If someone is in our other bathroom, you will just have to think dry thoughts and wait. Unless you have four feet and a tail, do not think of going outside to "water" the lawn. I know the dog does it. The neighbors don't feel the need to call me when the dog does it.

Unless the house catches on fire, stay inside and keep the doors locked. Do not go outside and throw rocks at the bathroom window to get my attention. I know it works in the movies. This is reality, the place where people don't like to sit in a tub while rocks and broken glass rain in on them. Do not set the house on fire. Call me if there is an emergency.

Emergencies ARE:

1. Dad has fallen off the roof.
2. Your brother and/or sister is bleeding.
3. There's a red fire truck in front of our house.

Emergencies are NOT:

1. Dad has fallen asleep.
2. Someone on TV is bleeding.
3. There's a red pickup truck in front of our house.

One other thing: Being forced to use the last roll of toilet paper for a towel does not make me happy. It makes me sticky with little white polka dots. In the future, when the tub overflows, use a mop to clean up the water instead of every towel in the house. For my sanity's sake, let's pretend it was the tub, Okay? No, I don't want to hear the real story. Ever. Especially not while I'm standing in the pool of water you missed.

By the way, all Play-Doh experiments are hereby canceled.

Be good. Entertain yourselves. Yes, you can do both at the same time. Try coloring, playing a game, or paying that stack of bills on the coffee table.

I'll be out soon. Maybe.

Love,

Your Mom

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”Flying Star”

It seems that a young man volunteered for military service during World War II.

He had such a high aptitude for aviation that he was sent right to Pensacola skipping boot camp. The very first day at Pensacola he solos and is the best flier on the base. All they could do was give him his gold wings and assign him immediately to an aircraft carrier in the Pacific.

On his first day aboard he took off and single-handedly shot down 6 Japanese Zeroes. Then climbing up to 20,000 ft. he found 9 more Japanese planes and shot them all down, too. Noting that his fuel was getting low, he descended, circled the carrier and came in for a perfect landing on the deck. He threw back the canopy, climbed out and jogged over to the captain.

Saluting smartly he said, "Well sir, how did I do on my very first day?"

The captain turned around, bowed, and replied, "Ahh soo, you only make one velly impoltant mistake!"

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Okay - I can't make them ALL funny - read this, and think on it a little bit!

In the Old Testament book of Malachi 3:3 we read: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith,
'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Pass this on right now. This very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over him or her; and, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end.

'Life is a coin. You can spend it anyway you wish, but you can only spend it once.'

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Have a blessed day, and catch you next time!

-Fredly.

Happy Wednesday! Welcome to the Summer heat!

Whew! I'm glad that I'm shedding pounds - it's hot out there! I know - I'm whining, and we haven't gotten anywhere NEAR the hottest part of the summer. I guess I still have enough Colorado blood in my veins that I thrive in the Winter!

Today I thought I'd just kinda give you a couple of funny family stories. You're actually getting these before the air audience, because I won't be sharing these on the air until later today!

Have a very blessed day, and I'll catch you on the radio later!

-Fredly..

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Today’s “Logan” Story…

Dinner time can be a real adventure when you have small children. Between trying to get one to eat her vegetables or the other one from trying to store macaroni in his nose – you’ve got to be on guard.

Last night we all just stopped and had to laugh. Logan was drinking some iced tea from a sippy, and he spilled a drop on the table. It must have been some great tea, because our son proceeded to bend down and SUCK the tea off of the table top!

It was the funniest thing I’ve seen in I don’t know how long.

I’m gonna have to start calling him “slurpee” or something…

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Today’s “Ashleigh” Story…

We had another surprise from Ashleigh last night. She was riding bicycles with one of her little friends, and decided to try something new. Ash still has the training wheels on her little bike, but her friend doesn’t. Ashleigh comes bursting through the front door with a mile-wide grin and her little eyes just all lit up, saying, “Mommy! Daddy! I rode a bike on two wheels!”

Julie and I looked at each other and followed our daughter out the door, and sure enough – she had taught herself how to ride on two wheels with only a little help from her friend.

She’s not sure she’s ready to let go of the training wheels on her own bike, but I’m sure it’s going to be soon…

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Today’s “Julie” Story…

My wife works hard. All day, every day – she’s hard at it, just to keep up with our children.

Today she got up, scrubbed out and re-inflated their little swimming pool, filled it – one bucket at a time from the kitchen sink, and got it all clean and ready for them to go swimming. She tracked down the kids, wrestled them into their swimsuits and got their pool toys together, and set them outside for a little splish-splashing.

And after about forty-five seconds in the water, both kids decided to so play in the dirt and rocks…soaking wet.

Yeah – my kids are the ones that will look at $100 in toys at Christmas and play with the cardboard boxes, too…

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OH - ONE MORE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE - PLEASE READ THE STORY BELOW, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR LITTLE ONES ARE STILL SLEEPING IN A CRIB!

Maker Recalls About 320,000 Cribs

About 320,000 cribs sold at Toys R Us, Babies R Us, KidsWorld and Geoffrey Stores may not be safe.

The maker, Jardine Enterprises, recalled them because wooden crib slats and spindles can break, creating a gap, which can pose an entrapment and strangulation hazard to infants.

Many different styles and finishes are included in the recall, and a full list can be found at JardineCribRecall.com.

The cribs were sold January 2002 through May 2008 for between $150 and $300. One model, the Mahogany Positano Lifetime Crib, sold for $450.

A news release said consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs and contact Jardine to receive a full credit toward the purchase of a new crib.

Owners can call Jardine at (800) 646-4106 or visit the Web site for more information.

Today’s Tip for Spouses…

How many of us really have involved our spouse in our prayer life? I mean, how many of us really take or MAKE the time to pray together with our spouse? I know that’s something that my wife and I do, but we need to be more consistent about it.

Take the time…even make the time if you need to – to pray with your spouse!

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Today’s “Logan” Story…

Sunday night after supper, we gave Logan a couple of sandwich cookies. He’s already got the routine down with those. He takes them apart, and goes straight for that yummy icing. After he had all the icing gone, he was left with two little chocolate cookies, and two little vanilla cookies. So Logan did what any imaginative little boy would do – he built a stack of cookies, and proceeded to cram them into his mouth. I looked over at him and just had to laugh! Here’s my son, with his little glucose Big Mac, and he’s just chomping and swinging his little feet in the high chair – a picture of contentment.

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Today’s “Daddy” Story…

My wife had a retreat for her Mothers of Preschoolers group this past weekend, so I had the kids by myself Friday night and all day Saturday. As always – it was an adventure. It started out with chasing Logan all over creation and explaining to my daughter that it was wrong to pick the neighbor’s flowers when they weren’t home. Then we let Logan play in his room while Ashleigh and I cleaned HER room (which looked like a twister had been through). Naturally, while we cleaned Ashleigh’s room, Logan demolished his. *sigh* Corndogs and Macaroni, chasing my son and telling him “no, we don’t climb on that,” and keeping an eye on Ashleigh while she played outside with her friends – I had to come back to work to get a break!

All I can say is, my wife is one amazing woman to be able to keep up with our children the way she does. I mean, she does this every day, and I’m pooped after a day and a half!

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Today’s “Ashleigh” Story…

I’m sure that if you have preschoolers in your home, you’ve had them do things that just make you shake your head and wonder, “What could they POSSIBLY have been thinking?” Okay – maybe that’s just kids in general. Well, this weekend I had one of those moments with my daughter, Ashleigh. It’s the first time I’ve had to deal with the issue, and naturally – it was when my wife was gone on a MOPS retreat. Ashleigh was playing outside, and her friends all had to go inside for supper. So, being the creative little four-year-old, she decided she would make a pretend cake, and so she set out to find the proper decorations. Her final decision – a bouquet of pretty yellow daisies. And so she picked a bunch of them. The problem – they weren’t from our flower bed. No, she had plucked the flowers from our neighbor’s flower bed, and to make it worse – they weren’t even home. Sooooo, I had to do the whole, “explaining why it’s not right to take things without asking” speal, and had to play the hard-nosed Daddy for a while. And girls when they do something wrong – did you know that? Yeah – they feel bad, and so they cry, which makes big, mean old Daddy feel awful. *sigh* Well, I know I did the right thing in correcting her, and she later repented to her friends, so all’s well.

Kids – What an adventure, huh?

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Just a quick update on my fitness program progress - As of today, I've dropped another 6 pounds! For those of you keeping score...that's 19 pounds total. God's really blessing me on this! I want to sincerely thank all of you who have called or emailed in your support! It truly means a lot to me! I thank you for your prayers, and certainly ask you to continue to pray for me. I know that God has brought me to this place, and I can see His blessings flow, so I'm really motiviated! Thanks again!

Have a blessed day!

-Fredly.

Heavy and Light Today...

First - THE HEAVY.

How are you doing with the "kindness factor"? Are you aware of your tone of voice when you speak to your spouse? Are you thinking about how they’re doing before you speak to them? We need to be appreciative of our spouse and the things that may or may not be going on with them, and be sure to be kind when we speak.

Today think about what you can do or say that would encourage your spouse and just generally be seen as a gesture of kindness!

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 NIV

AND NOW - the light!

Lame Excuses for Not Going to the Gym

I'm trapped in my recliner.

I didn't want to increase my carbon footprint by driving to the gym.

I can't leave the TV without knowing if Gilligan and the rest ever get off that island.

The parking is so bad, I have to walk over 15 feet to get to the door.

It doesn’t work for me. The chicks just aren't interested in a fat guy sitting on the bench press eating pies.

Buon Apetito!

-Fredly.

Random Thoughts...

As I got ready to read the Word last night before bed, I prayed that God would give me wisdom through His Word, and that I would be able to understand the things I was about to read. I opened to my bookmark, and here’s what I read:

¹Watch your step when you enter God’s house. Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, doing more harm than good. ²Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. – Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

Thank you, God – for showing us the things we need to hear. And as we prepare to enter your house tonight to offer our praise and worship, I pray that we are entering with presence of mind and heart, and that we are entering to learn. In Jesus’ name…Amen.

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Last night my wife and I were sitting on the back porch while the kids played, and I commented, “You sure look cute, honey.” Julie smiled at me and said, “Wow – haven’t heard that in a while. Thank you!”

And it hit me – I haven’t been as attentive as I should be. It’s my job as a husband to keep my wife built up, and one of the ways I can do that is to offer the more-than-occasional praise or comment that tells her how much I love her, and how beautiful she is to me. I’m not telling YOU what to do, but I’m telling you what I think I need to be doing a little better…maybe you’ll agree.

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Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
(Matthew 11.28 NRSV)

I read that verse today and something welled up inside me, and I knew I needed to share it with you today. I don’t know if you’re tired because the kids have been running you a little ragged today, or if the funds are a tight this month. What I DO know is this – God tells us that if we COME TO HIM, he will give us rest. I pray that gives you some peace today, and that you WILL go to our heavenly Father, and let Him give you the rest and refreshing that you need.

Love you all! Catch you later!

-Fredly.

Where have I been?

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that I haven't been doing well with posting lately. It's been a very busy season in my life and in the lives of my family, and I've allowed this to slip. My apologies. I'm working hard at getting back into a routine, though - so please keep checking!

Please keep my younger brother in your prayers. He has been dealing with some pretty hefty health issues here as of late, and it has affected not just his life, but the lives of everyone around him. Pray for a swift restoration and a quick manifestation of his complete healing!

Also, if you would - please keep Julie and I in your prayers. Together we have begun a comprehensive lifestyle program that includes completely changing our dietary intake, our schedule and fitness programs. We've only just begun, but we can already feel the results, so it's very exciting for us! Please pray that we will have the strength and commitment to continue with the program and turn it into our everyday lifestyle, and that I will finally be able to lose the weight that I have carried for so long. This week, for the first time in 2 1/2 years - I stepped on a scale and weighed myself. I have to admit - I had a little breakdown over it. I've known that I was overweight, and I've known that I feel awful, and I know that I need to DO something about it - but I had no idea to what extent my weight has affected me. I literally have to lose 194 pounds to get to my target weight, which is actually several pounds higher than the 'ideal weight' suggested by my doctor. 194 pounds! That's like carrying FOUR 50 lb. bags of feed on my shoulders everywhere I go! Praise God that He has kept me in good health despite my weight - so many have it worse than I do. But - with God's help - we will get through this, and I will be changed on the OUTSIDE as much as I have changed on the INSIDE! Yeah!

We're all looking forward to Crossover Christian Music Festival this weekend - drink lots of water, 'cuz it's gonna be toasty! We'll see you there - make sure you drop by the Spirit-FM tent to register for FREE GASOLINE! Love you guys! See you this weekend!

-Fredly.

From today's Morning Show Blog...

Today we pray

Today we grieve

Today we love

Today we are grieving together as a Spirit FM family for the Chapman family.

Maria Sue Chapman

Maria Sue Chapman, adopted and youngest daughter to Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, was killed Wednesday night in a tragic accident in the family driveway on Wednesday evening. She was LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital but for only reasons God can explain she went home to Him… not to Franklin as we all so desperately wanted.

Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman’s completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)

If you’d like to meet Maria and express your condolences click here

http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/

By mail, send to PO Box 150156 Nashville, TN 37215.

In lieu of flowers, the Chapmans request any gifts be directed to Shaohannah’s Hope.

Send to Shaohannah’s Hope, c/o The Maria Fund, PO Box 647, Franklin TN, 37065.

Thanks for your love and thanks for your prayers.

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal …
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance …
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“‘Good-bye’ is a word the heart doesn’t know.”
- Holley Gerth

“Grief is a form of validation; It says the wound mattered.”
- John Eldredge

www.stevencurtischapman.com

Prayer Warriors, Unite - Our Family Needs You!

Today has been a pretty heavy day for us here at Spirit-FM, as it has for many people across our nation. By now, most of you have heard of the tragic accident that claimed the life of the youngest daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman.

I just want to use this space today to ask you to take a moment - however long or short you can - and pray for the family. It's not that "all we can do is pray," or "prayer is all we have left," no - our prayers are the MOST POWERFUL weapon we have in our spiritual arsenal, and we can use our prayers to lift up Steven and his whole family in what has to be a time when they need the light of Christ the most.

Please keep them lifted up, and pray that the peace of God which surpasses all understanding might fall on them, covering them and keeping them in the days to come.

Thank you for your prayers, and for your love. We all love you!

In Christ,

-Fredly.

I pray this blesses you as much as it did me...

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. - Philippians 2:3

I saw an ESPN story today that brought tears to my eyes. A young softball player hit an out-of-the-park home run for the first and only time in her career, but as she rounded first, she fell down. When she pivoted on her foot, it didn’t pivot with her, and she had injured her knee. The player dragged herself back to first base and lay there in pain, hugging the base.

The ruling on the field was if a substitute runner was named, the home run would be ruled a double. If one of her own teammates touched her to help, she would be called out. So her only home run was about to be taken away.

That’s when two players from the opposing team asked if THEY could help her around the bases. The umpire said that while unheard of, it was not against the rules. The two players picked up their opponent and carried her around the bases and into the waiting arms of her teammates – preserving her home run.

In the process – they had also given up the game, which they lost by a score of 4-2.

Here’s the link so you can see the story yourself:

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3380875

*Have your Kleenex handy!

Too good not to share...

At a fund-raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

'That day,' said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.'

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

These Men and Women Deserve Our Gratitude And Our Understanding!

When a soldier comes home, he finds it hard....

...to listen to his son whine about being bored.

...to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes.

…to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work.

...to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night's sleep.

...to control his panic when his wife tells him he needs to drive slower.

...to keep keep his tongue around someone who complains about hot weather.

...to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold.

...to just walk away when someone says they only get two weeks of vacation a year.

Chew CAREFULLY in Nashville...

Hey gang! I don't quite know WHERE to start to share about our trip to GMA Music Week in Nashville! God REALLY blessed us in SO many ways, it's hard to decide where to begin! Suffice it to say that we were able to soak up a whole bunch of great information and ideas that will help us to serve you even better as a radio station, and more specifically as an air staff. We're very excited about the future of Spirit-FM, and of Christian Radio Broadcasting in general!

We knew that God had His hand on us right away in Nashville. We arrived Friday evening, and went to one of the downtown eateries for some dinner. Jim, Darren and I sat and talked about things that we were about to see and do. Our food arrived, and the conversation continued - until Darren took a bite of black beans, stopped chewing, and pulled a piece of PLASTIC from his mouth. Now, we're not talking about Saran Wrap here - we're talking about a corner of a PLATE. Darren was so calm, and informed the waitress that we had a small problem. The waitress FREAKED OUT, and immediately offered to clear our bill and make Darren a fresh plate of food. The manager of the restaurant followed close behind, offering her profuse apologies. We had a delicious meal as it turned out, dessert included - and God took care of the bill. We praised Him for keeping Darren safe, because that piece of plastic could have done some pretty serious damage had Darren attempted to swallow.

On Saturday, we spent the day in seminars, learning lots of great things to help us to grow as broadcasters. By days' end, we were famished, and looked forward to our annual foray to Joe's Crab Shack. The Joe's trip has become sort of a Spirit-FM tradition, and we always enjoy the meal. We had to wait for a while to get our table, but once we were seated, the waitress quickly came to take our order. We resumed conversation, recapping the days' teachings and generally laughing it up. Apparently we had been there much longer than we thought, because the manager of the restaurant appeared to tell us that our appetizers had taken WAY too long to arrive, apologized, and took them off our bill. MAN! We're BLESSED!

We related the story of the blessing to our waitress, and told her about the previous night's near miss and blessing. She was amazed at our story, and agreed that we were blessed.

Now - if this had not happened to me - I NEVER would have believe it. Nearly finished with our meal, I took a bite of a little jalapeno/crab bite, which felt like it had a little bone in it. I pulled the bone from my mouth, only to realize that it was a 3/4 inch piece of METAL. Yeah. It was IN the crab bite. At this point, I tell the fellas that I don't know what to do, because SURELY the waitress is going to think we're some kind of scam artists! But, she was very kind, and got the manager, who recognized the piece of metal as a wire from one of their fry baskets in the kitchen. (Apparently, I'm not the first to experience this.) Soooo...another night - and another free meal. Yeah - they took MY meal off the bill, too! So General Jim only had to pay for his and Darren's plates. WOW! God's so cool! He protected me, and bought supper again!

Believe it or not - we have MORE great stories to share about our Nashville trip. Stories about the artists, the broadcasters we spoke with, and the Community Praise & Worship led by Michael W. Smith - WHOA! Nothing short of AMAZING!

I'll look forward to seeing you at Crossover Christian Music Festival, and sharing more great stories! Thank you for being a part of our lives, and therefore a part of our adventures!

In Christ,

-Fredly.

Some Nuggets from Today's Afternoon Drive...

Here are a couple of tidbits from today's show - enjoy! I'm hoping to have some neat pics and stories next week when we return from GMA Radio Week in Nashville. I think I'm most excited about Sunday night worship, led my Michael W. Smith. That man is annointed by God! Every time in my life that God was calling on me, Michael W's music was there. His music and his ministry have been such a HUGE part of my life, to be able to be led in worship by him in person is going to be extraordinary! *sigh* I know - I'm rambling. Here's today's nuggets:

“Blue Roses”

by Pastor Hal Steenson

It was time for me to do my 'Dollar Store' run, which included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags and Clorox. So off I go. I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies, and headed for the checkout counter only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a young man that appeared to be about sixteen-years-old.

I wasn't in a hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there. This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in a loud voice, 'Mommy, I'm over here.' It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged, and also startled as he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by. His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, 'Hey Buddy, what's your name?'

'My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother,' he responded proudly.

'Wow,' I said, 'that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Hal. How old are you Denny?’

'How old am I now Mommy?' he asked his mother as she slowly came over from the next aisle. 'You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good boy and let the man pass by.'

I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more minutes about summer, bicycles and school. I watched his brown eyes dance with excitement because he was the center of someone's attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.

Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't even look at him, much less talk to him. I told her that it was my pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from, other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow and pink roses in God's garden, however, 'Blue Roses' are very rare and should be appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a 'Blue Rose' and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a blessing from God.

She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked, 'Who are you?'

Without thinking I said, 'Oh, I'm probably just a 'daffodil or maybe even a dandelion,' but I sure love living in God's garden.

************************************************************************************

Today’s “Ashleigh” Story…

Yesterday, my wife was buckling the kids into the car after her MOPS meeting. Julie decided to play with our four-year-old daughter, Ashleigh – and she leaned down and gave Ash a quick smooch. Julie smiled and said, “I can steal a kiss from you!” And that just set Ashleigh OFF.

Ashleigh got upset, and said, “Mommy – you’re not supposed to steal, because God doesn’t WANT you to steal!”

Julie started to try to explain that she wasn’t REALLY stealing – Ashleigh just didn’t GIVE Mommy a kiss, so Mommy TOOK one.

Next thing you know, Ash is on the verge of tears, and she manages to choke out “Yeah, but that was Daddy’s kiss, and I was going to give it to him when we got home, but now I can’t because you TOOK it!”

Julie tried to explain that Ashleigh had PLENTY of kisses to give Daddy, but Ash was convinced that she was supposed to give me THAT kiss.

So Julie resolved the matter by convincing Ashleigh that she would give the kiss BACK, and then Ash would be able to give it to Daddy.