Greetings, Dear Siestas!
I’m writing you from the jury assembly room of Harris County in Downtown Houston. I am blessed indeed to have an assistant who told me a few days ago she’d be happy to come pick me up and take me. I hope it goes without saying that I would not have asked her. I am fully capable of coming to jury duty by myself but, for a sanguine, it is a whole lot more fun this way. What’s in it for Michelle? Well, for starters, I think she smelled adventure and, to us, adventure is worth inconvenience. Her job is also considerably less lively if I’m not in the office so here we are and we have already gotten tickled enough to pay for the trip. One of the best parts was that she face-booked that she was at jury duty and someone who didn’t know we worked together told her I had jury duty today, too, and we could hook up.
There are several hundred prospective jurors here and, for the first little while, we amused ourselves by playing like this was a dating service and it was our job to match people. For a long time no one said a word (which made matches particularly challenging since I could not discern their personality-types) but now people are beginning to get to know each other because we’re all so nervous that we’re bonding. The atmosphere became more relaxed once we’d all taken the oath. Hawk felt the need to take the oath with us for fear people would think she was protesting by protecting her right not to make any promises. She, like me, is a rule keeper by nature. But not nearly the rule keeper my darling Amanda is. She saw that we were tweeting from in here and tweeted back with, “Are y’all going to get kicked out for tweeting?” It made me so happy. To be fair, I’m sure she was laughing when she asked because she would have known I would have thought it sounded just like her. I let her know that, as of yet, the bailiff had not told us that tweeting was strictly prohibited in the jury assembly room in the State of Texas and to take our tweeting outside.
I did just learn on the loud speaker that we will indeed get kicked out for smoking within 25 feet of the outside door so I’m definitely going to refrain.
Things have drastically improved since my last visit here. They now have free wifi (aptly called “jurywifi”) which is obviously how I’m corresponding with you. They also have a little snack bar where an unfortunate incident took place a moment ago. I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room for the second time and, on my way in there, smelled coffee. GOOD coffee. Like Starbucks coffee. I thought I was having a sensory hallucination until I came out of the restroom and, lo and behold, there was a little table with three coffee canisters. AND YES, with Starbucks, for the love! I leapt to it like a gazelle, pumped out my coffee with a big smile on my willing face. Then I looked up and saw a cash register. I hadn’t brought my purse because I left it with Hawk. All the sudden I was dumb-fuzzled and didn’t know what to do. I’d already poured it. So I jetted off from it like I’d committed a felony and ran back to the assembly room with guilt all over my face. I think I may have also been having a hot flash. Anyway, as far as I know, my cup is still sitting there all by itself under the Starbucks House Blend thermos. Getting cold. I feel robbed of my rights. Hawk suggested she could give me money to go back and pay for it but I am too shamed.
I have never gotten chosen for a jury before. Perhaps you find that surprising. I certainly want to be a good citizen so I’m willing as long as I can still get to Richmond next weekend. Of course, I’d rather study during my work hours and go to my regular job and, goodness knows I want to be with Melissa and Colin who come on Thursday, but I’m certainly here to do my civil duty if asked. (I’m being silly with you but I really do believe in the jury system and certainly would want a good jury should I need one. Should they find out that I poured coffee I did not pay for.) I will get paid $6 today if I serve then it goes to $40 the second day forward.
So, here I am waiting to see if I get chosen. If this is like the softball team in junior high, I’m in for a long wait. Hawk just told me that today is the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. And ultimately to serve on juries. So this is a great day to wear my big hair proud in this room.
While I’m waiting, have any of you Siestas done jury duty? Anything interesting happen? Any interesting cases? You know, I originally wanted to be a lawyer so I find all of this interesting anyway. So, do tell, Siestas.
PS. Hawk just went to get me some coffee. I’m so happy that I’m going to give her the $6 I make today.
PSS. She just got back with my cup of coffee and, yes, she said my previous cup was still there. Right under the House Blend.She poured me a new one though. It just hit me that my fingerprints are still on the other one.
Here is me writing to you:
And here is me saying what’s really important on this Wednesday: The Lord on high is mighty. He is for us and not against us. And, though He is lofty, He looks upon the humble and contrite heart with favor. Thank You, Lord, for a community where we can be serious and silly and maybe all on the same day.
PSSS. They just released all Bible teachers with big blond hair! Headed back to LPM but keep those jury experiences coming!
Beth, you tickle me so much! I am like you, I’ve never had to serve jury duty … that may all change if someone sees my post! Oh well! This last Sunday was our last day with our 4th grade Sunday school class … promotion Sunday is this Sunday. Anyway, one of our kids brought my husband and I each a $5 Starbucks gift card! Yahoo! I can’t wait to go spend it. Don’t you know we have some mighty sweet kidos and parents at our church in Fort Worth!!
Get out girl, you crack me up! Was just thinking of you a while ago. My hubby works at LWay in Nashville and I just went downtown to eat lunch with him. I specifically said to him, “You know, I would just die if I was here some time with you and ran into Beth Moore!” Alas, you were in TX. Maybe another time…
O:)
Melissa
Oh sweet Beth, You make me laugh which is a good thing today. Actually how do you make everything funny? Does your husband laugh with you too? I find men just hehehe behind closed lips.
Yes I got called for jury duty but at the last minute they cancelled it on me. So sad. My uncle was a policeman and I really loved listening to the police radio.
Funny thing is my husband has been called 3 times and had to go to each.
Bless you Beth,
Rebecca
I am trying to imagine you as a lawyer… that cracks me up!
No insults implied or intended…
Thank you Ms. Beth! Did you realize that by making a tedious mostly UN-looked forward to deal hilarious, you also mirrored your darling daughter’s sentiments of finding the exciting in the every day monotony? I know, horrible sentence but I think I was kind of grammatically sort of there. AND I was really wanting to thank you for Wednesdays with Beth today anyway. I saw the finale of The Healing Heart. You probably don’t remember me but you looked right into the camera, right into my heart and told me not to let my guilt get in the way of my healing. You rock woman, completely.
I was chosen for jury duty in Dallas about 9 years ago. I did not want to do it but never the less they picked me and here was the kicker. I had just quit the most horrific job ever and gave myself a 4 day vacation until I started my new job and guess when I had to serve for jury duty? Yep, all four of my vacation days from 3-8pm. I sat at home all day until 2 and then left and didn’t return until 10pm. Didn’t even get to see my husband that week except to kiss him good bye!
It was a really silly custody case and amounted to two people who had had a nasty divorce and wanted revenge all at the kids expense. I lobbied the jury to award attorney’s fees (I’ve got four in my family and know how they make their living and at what cost) and I was fascinated by the way it really was like TV. I stood up and addressed everybody and turned 5 no’s to yes’s! That was neat.
Beth,
If a post does not get posted is that because a rule was broken. I am so new here I don’t know all the manners!!! I just wanted to encourage the lady about to drink or not to, but I guess the message is flying itself down to Texas.
Rebecca
I was on jury duty for a cash of shoplifting. After the case was all over, we found out the suspect was on parole…but at the time of the case, they do not share that information. We listened to two days of testimony (yea for shoplifting) and then started deliberating on a Friday. All the other jurors, but me, came up with guilty right away. But I really felt they were jumping to a conclusion based on how the guy looked and wanting to hurry and wrap it up. There were circumstances that questionable…and it was all over lighter fluid. (I was wondering, a court case over lighter fluid?) So I could not say guilty, the whole case had to be held over to the following Monday for more deliberation.
I needed the time over the weekend to think it all over, and why I was so reluctant to say this man was guilty. A lot had nothing to do with him. It was just so daunting to do something that would impact someone’s life. After a weekend of thinking it, and the phrase what would a reasonable person deduct, I came in Monday with a guilty verdict as well. But it was hard, and I never wanted to do it again.
You are soooo funny! I can remember the last time I had jury duty just like it was yesterday. It was February 1st 2002 and I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with my youngest son. Someone told me I could use that as an excuse to get out of it,but I wouldn’t because I had a month and a half to go. Thankfully I didn’t get picked because I went in to labor that night and had my son the next morning. I’m glad he at least waited until that night!!!
Your entry made me laugh! I’ve never had an interesting time in jury duty, and my last one thankfully got “snowed out.” My mom however, had to serve on a grand jury for a month. It was quite a sobering experience, from what I heard after the fact. Glad you are free to go now!
Beth- ha-ha-love today’s post.
I did Jury duty several yrs ago for the 1st time. I was soooo nervous, and I did get called. I was so afraid I would make the wrong call,Did I do some praying or what? Thank the Lord it was just a traffic issue, and no one had the possibility of going to jail. Wheeew. We all need to do our civil duty. I found it every interesting to watch from a very birds-eye view how the courtroom is ran, to see each one does their job, and to watch the judge. After that two days of jury duty, I have a new respect for our judges, esp. the women judges. just think they have to pronounce judgement, set people straight, send people up the river, then go home and cook supper.
I think I got $8.00 a day, and $10.00 if I got called, and a free lunch each day.
I love you, MamaBeth. You are a hoot and a half. 🙂
So far I’ve never been chosen because my father was a police officer and upon retirement a private investigator. I worked at the investigations firm. Prosecutors love those things about me, defense attorneys as well as civil attorneys do not like those things about me.
It seems I ALWAYS get chosen as a juror. They seem to LOVE teachers. The most interesting case I ever served as a juror was a FEDERAL case. It had to do with a huge scheme of bad people planting their people in strategic work places to play out this elaborate scandal. When the cops caught the bad guys, they had HUGE crates with cash, Mercedes Benz cars, clothes, jewelry, etc all ready to board a ship to Nigeria.
The deal was bogus credit card charges that amounted to millions of dollars. WOW!!!
One thing that I remember so vividly is how the defense attorney made the US Gov’t seem like they were the bad guys and the ones on trial! Another thing I recall is how well the Federal Courts pay their jurors. We received a per diem, reimbursed for mileage, and THEY bought us a really nice lunch each and every day!!! SCORE!!!!
When I received my check from the Federal Gov’t for my service, it was more than my teacher pay-check! Woo-hoo!!!!
Beth, I think you are a perfect person for jury duty because you can make the most of any situation you are in!!! And Michelle should get Employee of the Year or BFF Award for going with you. What a doll!
Yes, I think they DO love teachers! Lots of my teacher friends had jury duty on Monday (their first day of inservice for the new school year!) and none of them were excused. The judge actually said, “I’m sorry, but I cannot excuse teachers simply because it is the first day of the school year. You’ll all just have to wait it out.”
I had just received a summons this past spring. Thankfully I was released. There were so many there who were excited to serve. Not me, I really hate seeing people in trouble. My husband has to report next week for what could be an eighteen month jury duty term. He is several months into a new job that is commissioned based. So…needless to say we are praying he will be released from service.
I really needed to hear some silliness today!!!! Who is Hawk? And oh, by the way, would you recommend RV traveling!!!!!
Bless you in a big way today!
Beth I just laughed and laughed! Good medicine for this sultry Wednesday in Georgia!
I’m so glad you got your coffee – we know that is HIGHLY important!
loving you!
Beth from Rome, GA!
I’ll never be selected for jury duty as I work within the criminal justice system in my community, however I do watch court often. Almost every day. I have quite a few stories I could tell. I have one that sticks out the most involving one lawyer playing a practical joke on two other lawyers.
Wednesdays are our domestic relations court days. In the mornings we have criminal trials where our Commonwealth’s Attorney prosecutes offenders for criminal matters (Virginia is a Commonwealth we have Commonwealth’s Attorneys and not District Attorneys. CAs instead of DAs) In the afternoons our judge hears cases involving custody, visitation, and child support type things that are civil in nature. Every once in a while a criminal matter will be carried over until the afternoon docket and the judge will hear it then. This was the case one particular Wednesday and our relatively newly elected CA came back at 1:00 p.m. The courtroom was packed with people waiting for their domestic type cases to be called, however the judge had not gotten on the bench and started the docket just yet. The male CA was inside the packed courtroom talking to a female lawyer who just happened to be very visibly expecting and happily married to her husband (not the CA). Another female attorney, who is vivacious and as cute as a button, just happened to be very visibly expecting and happily married to another man (not the CA and not the other pregnant lawyer’s husband). She came waddling, and I do mean waddling, into the courtroom. She hurried past me and said as she went by, “Watch this!” Big belly first, she barrels over to the CA and other lawyer, all eyes now on her, she points her index finger at the other woman’s noticeably big belly, staring the newly elected CA in the face, mocks an exaggerated gasp and in her most exaggerated, exasperated voice hisses way too loudly, “DID YOU DO THAT?!?! BECAUSE YOU DID THIS?!?!?!”, she then points at her obviously big pregnant belly. As if on cue, the entire jam packed courtroom gasped in horror and in unison at the CA’s falsely perceived audacity. The audience ALL slid to the edge of their seats, not wanting to miss a thing. The CA flushed a strange shade of red/purple as his jaw hit the floor. The other pregnant lawyer’s eyes just about bugged out of her head. Both of them visibly at a loss for words, the CA was stammering and stuttering and couldn’t formulate a coherent word let alone sentence. My mischievous friend then smiled broadly and, announced, “Just kidding!”, immediately followed with, “So, how is everybody today? I’m good!” (The CA later confided THAT was the most embarrassed he had been in his whole life.)
I wish I could serve on jury duty. In Virginia they will not allow you to be a juror if you have been to law school. Bummer!! For those of us in the legal field it would be the ultimate, but, alas, we have to be on the other side of those seats never to see how it really goes in that jury room. Bless you!!!
Yes! I have been on a jury. It was years ago and my husband proudly told me that they would not choose me because I was married to “a lawyer”. I was the second one placed on that jury! Really bad part….it was A MURDER TRIAL! Good part, while deliberating, they brought us cheeseburger plates with half & half (fries and onion rings :))! Finally, at the end we found that the guilty party acted in self defense. Happy to say I’ve never had to serve again.
Too funny!! For the sake of all of us in blogworld I’m glad you had to go to jury duty. I’m not sure we would have gotten a post if you hadn’t.
This is really a friend of mine’s jury story, but it is the best one I’ve ever heard. Or maybe the scariest.
She was serving and the jury had reached a verdict. They were instructed that the foreman (meaning the jury foreman, of course) should sign the verdict. The foreman (bless her heart) proceed to ask FOUR men to sign the verdict.
And that, my friends, is one of the reasons I’m afraid to commit a crime in my county. I could NEVER count on a “good” jury.
That’s funny! Foreman/four men 🙂
I was selected as a potential juror in a capital murder case. I knew they wouldn’t be able to seat an impartial jury because all details had been all over the news, and it was a small town. Our courthouse is very old and the chairs were very uncomfortable. There were so many people wanting to get excused that it was mainly just a lot of sitting. Finally they put us in groups for further questioning by the attorneys. I was in group number 2 that was scheduled to meet that evening at 5:30. Needless to say nothing was going as scheduled and I didn’t end up getting released until around 7:30 that night (had been at the courthouse since 8:00 that morning). You guessed it they weren’t able to seat a jury after the first night so the case was moved to another county. This was my first jury duty experience and it was one I won’t forget. Glad you didn’t have to serve!
My one and only time to serve on a jury was last winter. I thought it would be a simple case as the defendant was only charged with resisting arrest. The defense attorney tried his best to get the jury to focus on the “bully” police officer instead of the defendant’s actions. The defendant even admitted on the stand that he had not obeyed the officer when he was being handcuffed. When we got in the jury room, most of the jurors commented about how slick the defense attorney was and the prosecuting attorney was dressed like a slob. After everyone commented, I then said this was an open and shut case because the defendant admitted to not letting the police officer handcuff both hands. So everyone except one agreed with me. This juror said there was no way he was going to vote “guilty” because he hadn’t heard what I heard. He couldn’t have it on his conscience to send someone to jail. So now the other jurors said, “ok, not guilty” just to get out of here. They then looked at me and I said there’s no way I am going to vote “not guilty” after what the defendant said on the stand. So I hung the jury. I was so upset that people didn’t really care about right and wrong but they just wanted to get out of there. The prosecuting attorney polled the jurors, so the defendant knew I was the only one voting “guilty”. As someone else commented about the defendant hearing their name and address, I was also surprised about that the judge allowed that information to be read in open court.
I’ve been called only TWICE. So bummed–especially since I vote in every, single, election–even if it’s only the local dogcatcher race. The first time I sat in the jury pool room for three hours. I just KNEW they were going to select me–especially since I was dressed in a really cute outfit that day. When the lawyer asked if I knew any lawyers I replied, “yes”. When he asked “who?” I replied, “my husband”. He did a double take and dismissed me immediately. (the NERVE of some people) This summer I was called again. The clerk called and told me to report on Monday. I asked her if she knew which lawyers were trying the upcoming case. She checked and sure enough…HUBS was one of them…so I got the boot again. I just KNOW I would be a most EXCELLENT juror! Heck, I grew up on Perry Mason for crying out loud! Oh well…
Have sat many a time in that Houston Jury Selection room! And I’m thrilled to know there is a snack/coffee bar!!! Things are looking up! I usually always hope not to get chosen because I have “stuff” to do during the week, ha. Sometimes I get called up on a panel but last time I “confessed” my son is a Dallas police detective and I was biased (case involved a police officer). You were blessed to get a ride there and back. I am a wreck about parking down there. Mainly because I may not find my way back to the car!
I had to sit in a court room for 4 days on a murder case while they did the jury selection. We were not allowed to do anything but sit! No Tweets, coffee, nada! My only outlet was facebook updates on my phone at breaks.
Needless to say I was the 2nd to last dismissed. I said the guy looked like a drug dealer…oops. I found out later he was and was found guilty for the murder.
A few years ago, I got a jury duty summons, but I was steeped in anxiety and depression at the time. After I got over the initial panic, my doctor signed the “please excuse this (crazy) woman from these services” release form. Whew!
Then, now that I’m doing so much better (!), last month, I rec’d another jury duty summons… from a different county!?? When I called, the lady on the other end of the line kept asking me if I was sure I had the right address. My home address, that is! I know I can be crazy, but not THAT crazy! (grin)
This made me laugh and brought back memories. I served on a jury when I was 5 months pregnant w/our 2nd son. Yes, I could have gotten out of it because I had a 2 1/2 yr old. My hubby assured me they would never pick me when they saw my big belly, and to “enjoy” my time off from mothering. Well, was he wrong! It was a drug trial that lasted 3 days. Fortunately I found favor w/the bailiff and he would call a recess any time I needed it for a “break”.
No jury duty stories here,
but I did accidentally steal nail polish from Kroger once… it ended up in my cart somehow stuck in the corner under the “seat” part, and I didn’t notice it until I was loading my purchase into the car… it must have been there from a previous customer. But I didn’t feel right about just leaving it in the cart. James 4:17 always jumps on my back whenever I have the desire to be lazy about things like that. I was already in a rush so I didn’t want to turn around and walk it back into the store. So the next time I went to Kroger (which happened to be the same night because the guilt was eating me up inside about the “accidental stealing”, and even that I didn’t just return it right away), I snuck it back onto the shelf. And I also bought some candy because I didn’t want to feel as though everyone was watching me leave Kroger without anything and thinking it was peculiar. Because, let’s be honest, nobody goes to Kroger just to “browse”.
2.5 weeks.
gang murder trial.
Five minutes before the jury deliberations, I found out I was the alternate.
Nevertheless, I learned a lot about gunshot residue.
Hilarious post! If I had been the lawyer in that courtroom today, I would have definitely wanted you on my jury, Siesta Mama! Then again, that might be considered a conflict of interest! 🙂
P.S. I’m glad you didn’t become a lawyer! God had bigger plans…
Love,
Missy
Beth, I served my first jury duty just 2 weeks ago in Federal District Court. I had been “on call” since March, but had forgotten all about being “on call” until I received a summons 3 weeks ago. Of course, it was the worst possible time. I had just started painting the trim in my living room, trying to get the job done before our new furniture is delivered (our youngest graduated college in the spring and it’s been 28 years since I purchased a new sofa!); it was my first month going solo as treasurer of a non-profit organization and I had one week to prepare the monthly reports, which meant a crash-course in Excel spreadsheets; I had one week to prepare for our family vacation. I hated having a bad ‘tude, but I pleaded with God, “LORD, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I HAVE TO DO THIS WEEK! WHY NOW?!”
As I sat and waited for the lawyers from both sides to decide which jurors they would select for the trial, I prayed silently, “Not me, Lord! NOT ME!”
Guess whose name was called first? Mine. “My times are in Your hands.”
The civil trial lasted 3 days. Once I was done pouting, I actually was thankful to have been called to serve. We had a wonderful group of jurors and the whole process was very educational. AND I got a check in the mail this week for $219!
Anyway, I am extremely thankful that you, Beth, were NOT called today, because I have been praying for you and your team as your prepare for the Richmond LPL event. I won 2 tickets in your giveaway months ago, and I am thrilled to be taking both my sisters, neither of whom have ever been to a women’s conference of any kind. We are making a special weekend of it, staying in a nearby hotel. I can hardly wait to worship with you and Travis and thousands of women hungry for a Word from our Lord. Thank you so much for coming to Richmond!!!
My mom has been picked EVERY TIME she has been to jury duty. She has served on a murder trial and a burglary trial as well as many smaller things. The first time I ever got a jury summons, I was picked too. When I told my mom, she said, “Oh, no! It must say that you’re my daughter on your card!” Meanwhile, my dad has NEVER been picked. Not once. The first time my sister got a summons, she was excused. Mom said it must say, “Bill’s daughter” on her card. You see, I am a lot like mom and Whitney is a lot like daddy. I guess it will be a while before we really get to test our theory since Whit and I both have little babies at home and are therefore excused from serving.
Oh, and my husband showed up fifteen minutes late for jury duty once. They sent him home because they had already started and he’s never been summoned since.
Beth – I love your story! So fun.
I was chosen to serve on a jury on two occasions. One was for a drug smuggling case. This was interesting. Because I am a sign lanuage interpreter, I was fascinated by watching the spoken language interpreters during the trial. God also gave me a poem during the case. The poem is about JOY. I’m not a poet! That was truly a gift from God.
The second trial was an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon case. This one wss appx 2 weeks post outpatient surgery. My husband encouraged me to postpone, but I didn’t. This case was interesting. I enjoy the medical field and there was quite a bit of medical information presented duing this case. Interesting!
I’m looking forward to the “3 nights with Beth” this fall in Houston!!!!
Marcella 🙂
P.S. Forgot to mention that I’m glad they dismissed you from jury duty because I’m going to be in Richmond next weekend for LPL!! Can’t wait!
Are there any Siesta gatherings planned? My hubby’s going with me (he bought the ticket as a present for me finishing the bar exam), but I’m sure he won’t mind if I sneak away for a little bit.
Missy
You are adorable. I love that you take pictures of yourself writing to us.
Is it weird I’ve always kind of WANTED to get called for jury duty?
Too funny Mama Beth…I am so like Amanda I guess because that was my first thought when I read your tweets this morning “Is she allowed to be tweeting?” You make everything an adventure, and you sure do have a loyal assistant in Hawk to accompany you like that 🙂
Girl, you crack me up. I can just hear the whispers of everyone saying, “That’s Beth Moore! Can you imagine having her on your jury?!?” Ha!
I had to serve once. The guy pled guilty, and we were to determine the sentence. It was awful. I hated being responsible for someone else’s life. I had hoped that my minister’s wife status would help me get out of it, but the defense laywer (who was a preacher’s kid) wanted soemone on the jury who would give grace. He even asked me about grace during the questioning. In the end, we sent the guy to prison, and I cried for the rest of the afternoon.
Beth,
I just served on the Grand Jury yesterday. We heard 13 cases but will be recalled in a week or so. I can’t tell you about the interesting cases because I swore not to talk about what went on in the jury room.
We were all nervous at first when we arrived in the courtroom. It was interesting that most people sat as separated from the others as possible. Every row had people on each end—no one in the middle. After we were sworn in and had been to the jury room, people began to talk to each other. Our county is a small county and most of the people on the jury were people I knew or had seen before. It seemed that we all were more relaxed after our first break.
Our time was from 10:00am to 1:15 pm but we only had the one break and no lunch. I will eat more breakfast when they call us back.
Thanks for sharing your experience. God bless you.
Hi Beth,
I have never blogged anyone before so I’m praying you all will bear with me and read this even though it’s wordy. So here goes…
Beth, I’ve been reading your blog the past few days and I’m loving how you talk with everyone. I’m from Lowell, Ma. and really looking forward to seeing you at the Tsongas Arena the 1st of October.
There’s a reason I’m pushing the comment button today because I’d like to make a special challenge to you (unless you’ve already done this) and all siestas in Christ to read the Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns who is the President of World Vision. It will blow you away and like the song says, ” break your heart for what breaks His.”
What would happen if the children, mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers pictured in his book (and also seen on TV, in newspapers, and magazines) were the faces of our children, mothers, sisters, aunts, or grandmothers?
God spoke to my heart in a huge way after reading this book and he put an awesome idea in my head on how we can raise thousands of dollars to help these people. We can help them with the simple act of baking cupcakes.
Yes, you read that correctly. CUPCAKES!!
If 100 women who want to help bought one cake mix and made 2 dozen cupcakes we have the potential to make $10,000. YES, REALLY!
Cupcakes are very big right now. By that I mean they sell in a tremendous way. Just in my city alone there have been 3 cupcake bakeries open up. People are watching shows featuring cupcake wars and cupcake bakery reality shows. (I personally love the show, DC Cupcakes on HGTV) And I’ve done the research. Cupcakes are selling at $2.00 each.
AND THAT’S HOW WE CAN RAISE MONEY FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS!
100 women make 2 dozen cupcakes and ask a friend to do the same. We sell them at $25 a dozen. NOT AS HARD AS YOU THINK. How many times have we sponsored someone (especially kids in school) in a walkathon, bikeathon, rockathon, or road race for charity? This is even better because the buyer/sponsor gets a dozen delicious cupcakes for giving $25 to charity. Better still because we would be asking donations of friends and family who have hearts just like ours.
Do the math:
100 x 2 (100 women + 1 friend) =
200 x 2 dozen cupcakes =
400 dozen cupcakes @ $25/dozen = $10,000
CARING WITH CUPCAKES — SISTERS HELPING SISTERS AROUND THE WORLD.
What if ten sisters in Christ challenged the women of their churches, women’s ministries, Bible studies, or small groups to do the same? That has the potential to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS for Global Missions.
I know in my heart this will work because I believe God will do what he clearly said to me and because he reminded me in His Word with the scripture verse in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.”
Would you prayerfully consider what you have read right now and I will be in prayer that God will work in a mighty way in your hearts and the hearts of others.
With much joy and love in Him,
Nancy
P.S. Don’t forget my challenge to read Richard Stearns book, The Hole In Our Gospel.
I served on Jury Duty on my birthday of all days! I did get selected, which was unusual given that I had previously worked as a Judicial Secretary in the same courthouse, and am married to a lawyer. It was a two day criminal circuit court (felony crime) trial. It is customary for this Judge to select 13 jurors to sit through the entire trial in the event that someone cannot fulfill their duty. At the end of the trial, a random name is selected and that person is dismissed from deliberations. My name was drawn, after listening to all the testimony. As it turned out, one of the ladies had an important medical appointment for her child previously scheduled for the next day and asked if I would be willing to serve during deliberations in her place. We sought permission from the Court, and there I was – an honest to goodness juror!
I had watched many courtroom trials of every kind first hand from my former office, but this was a very unique experience.
I was on one jury…I had wanted to be chosen and got my first summons last year when I was 48 (I had been a missionary so lived out of the country during my 30’s.) Lest I digress, I was amazed to find that I was actually chosen to be on the jury. We had a very nice day talking to each other, found out that my mother-in-law’s oral surgeon was on the same jury as I was (his office had called my mother-in-law the day before and said that he had jury duty the next day so may not be around the rest of the week…what are the odds that we were on the same jury?!)
Anyway, it went on all day, they didn’t feed us dinner, didn’t have Starbucks and we didn’t start deliberating until 9:30pm. All we had to snack on were chips and cookies (sounds good, right? that is until you get really hungry and then you are sick of chips and cookies!). The judge called the jury in the courtroom right before deliberation to give us all the rules, etc. Then RIGHT before we were let go, I was informed that I was the ALTERNATE juror and could not open my mouth during the entire deliberation!
For those who know me, this was a cruel joke! I LOVE to talk (I have been teaching Bible studies for years; I’m always very glad to share my opinion with others; to sit in a room and NOT TALK was honestly like torture to me!) I just had to sit there and listen. At one point I sat on my hands (for some reason this helped me to keep my mouth shut).
Fortunately the jury all agreed with that I thought the verdict should have been, so there was some relief at that. I just counldn’t believe that I sat through the entire day and then couldn’t talk at the end! God does have a sense of humor!
Becky in Indy (from Houston, via New Mexico, via Kiev, Ukraine)
P.S. – thanks to the ladies on helping me figure out how to put a photo next to my name. Yes, it was easy. I decided to put a photo of my dog, Dasha (“gift” in Russian)
Oh, I forgot, the BEST part of the day was that when my mother-in-law DID have her oral surgery later that week, he didn’t charge her one penny! What a nice man! All because we served on a jury together (he was a Christian also)…we were the only two Christians in the room, but we did get to share with the others. fun stuff!
You are so funny. Only you could have so much fun sitting in the assembly room. I have had jury duty several times but the one I remember most was about 4 years ago. I was going back & forth in my mind about going back to work. Not easy at 60 when you’ve been off for 7 years. Anyway as I was dressing I said Lord if you want me to go back to work you will just have to get the job for me. As I walked thru the door of the courthouse there was a lady there from my church whom I had not met. I knew she had just retired from the same career I had so I went up and starting talking to her. She asked me if I wanted a job because the company had not filled her position and she was working part time. I interviewed and have been there nearly 4 years. God answered my prayer immediately. He is so good. I didn’t get picked for that jury.
I served. We convicted a young college student of assault and battery for punching her stepmother’s lights out. She of course plead innocent, and we had PICTURES. Go figure… I seriously wanted to stand up and ask her if she thought we all just fell off the turnip truck, but I refrained. Anyway, we all had to STAND UP and individually state our verdict. My voice would not work because I was TERRIFIED, so the judge made me repeat it. GUILTY… Afterwards I raced out of the courthouse because I was so afraid her family (minus the stepmom)would come after me for finding her guilty. Skeery stuff… I did enjoy the whole process though…I found it very interesting.
I have had 2 experiences with jury duty. The first came when I was about 9 and my brother was 6. Mama got called for jury duty, and she thought that when she showed up with us, that they would let her go. NOT SO!! This was in NC, around 1974, in the summer, so school was out. We had to go every day. We thought it was cool. We took our coloring books, crayons, etc. The jury was in and out of the courtroom, but we were to stay in the back. There were no restaurants in our town at the time. We thought it was big stuff to eat out for lunch Everyday for a week. Mama’s rule was always, you had better not embarass me in public. Very effective, the Judge told her at the end that we were so well behaved. I was called myself 2 years ago. They moved us from room to room for a couple hours, and then let us all go.
I was on jury duty last year for a case in which a car salesman was suing the dealership he used to work for – something about not receiving the commission he thought he was due. Except he couldn’t actually sue the dealership, because, bless their hearts, they had gone out of business. So he went after the car manufacturer. Go figure. Sat in jury selection for a full day, then in the jury deliberation room the next day until late afternoon when we were taken into the court room (empty, I might add) and told that the case had been settled. We were not fortunate enough to have jurywifi, so I had to make do with my sudoku book, since serious reading was out of the question. Seemed like a waste of time, to be sure! Especially since there was no Starbucks coffee to ease the wait!
You have us laughing so hard, I don’t know if I can write.
Just hope I don’t spill my coffee.
I was shopping for a cute baby dress for a friend one time. When I came out of the store after giving up, I looked down at my purse to see a hanger with a baby dress had hooked on to my purse. I was scared to death! I took it back immediately and hung it back up, but this was in a PX area where they have cameras and tight security. I knew one of the ladies who works in security too She told one time she had seen me in the PX long before this happen. Well, I have to have another cup of coffee.
All I can say is God was watching too!
Oh, and that’s not by chance a pandora bracelet you are sporting is it? Love mine!
yes i did have to go to jury duty but after kicking many people out over and over again, i was finally called forward as well and in the end also kicked out due to my prejudices against a cop who lied to a judge in front of me. i lost my faith in the system then. so be it. cindy