You’ve asked some good questions about being an online volunteer M*ss*ionary.  I’ll try to answer them:

EXAMPLE

———-

Domain: jesus2020.com
Name: XXXXXXXXXXx

City:XXXXXXXX
State: New York
Zipcode: 11715
Residence: USA
Age: 18-25
Gender: Male
Tell us about your spiritual journey: I just recommitted my life to Christ
Comment/Question: what was jesus’ life like? 
i accepted god into my life since i was 12 and he has really helped me in life.

————————–

They come from all over the world…amazing!  Isn’t it?

Were you nervous at first?  Yes.  I was so nervous I’d mess up.  Now, it is now one of the most fulfilling parts of my day.  A real joy.  

When:  Anytime.  It is my “coffee time” most mornings or my bedtime wind-down time.  I count it as part of my time with Jesus as I minister to and pray for others around the world with needs, questions, and concerns.  As I talk with them, I review scriptures to send to them, applying them to people’s daily situations.  Some respond, others do not. 

Time:  I’d say I generally answer an average of 10 per day, in about 10-20 minutes.  But, you can give whatever time you think you can consistently give.   

How do you know what to say?  There are pre-form letters that come up for each person which you can modify to make it easy to get started.  I use them often.  or if I’m short on time. 

Who writes in?  All kinds of people. 

What if I can’t answer a questions?  There is a “reassign” button.  

Do you get to win people to Christ?  Yes.  I’ve even led several people to Christ on-line this year, a great experience.  Others are follow-ups to sites like www.4stepstoGod.com who’ve already made decisions by reading scriptures on-line and need to know how to live a full life in Christ to protect them from other teachings!

Do people across the world have computer access?  Many do at the schools or workplaces, or pay for computer time.   We are now also getting the gospel message to people by cell phone, responding by computer.

How long have you volunteered?  About two years.

Are there language internationally?  Many people around the world who use the net know English!  Very cool.  

How do you deal with other faiths?  Answering them kindly, with truth and grace is better than fears of doing it wrong and not sharing Christ at all. 

What do you do with questions you can’t answer?  Seasoned volunteers are always available.

What if I need to be away from the computer?  Take breaks!  Your assignments can be re-assigned…but, I have answered emails on vacation…I love it that much.  It’s refreshing to see people seeking Christ.  Personally, I also don’t like to lose long relationships with people while I’m away…often they are at “critical points”, and I enjoy continuing to finish out what was started.

Who are community leaders?  They are all great to work with.  They answer any questions, send you emails and tips, encourage you in your own faith-walk, and visit the boards/forum to help answer questions.  They make sure all is well with your group, and provide a level of oversight to make sure people are getting Bible-based advise and counsel. 

Can you be my community leader?  It’s possible right now.  I’m working on my first group now–sign up before I get too full. 

Do you receive training?  Yes, initial and on-going by on-line videos, web conferences, and emails.  But, it’s not time consuming.  It’s efficient and to the point for when you have time.

Culture/differences:  You are more alike than different if you both use the web.  And, there are always training and tips to help you improve.

Email me or comment if you have other questions or are interested in trying it!  It’s free evangelism opportunities.  How can a person resist? 

If you want to try it on your own, here’s the link:  (you’ll need a good reference to sign up):  Becoming an email volunteer.  There are many who need Jesus…we need your skills and gifts!

Maggie

Click for a sample of my favorite moisterizer of all time.  I use it every night on my face, hands, and lips.  No smell, no oily after-feel.  It is a water-based, smooth petroleum jelly sort of feel.  It is heavier than lotion, but great for winter night-coat especially!  I love it on the kids ears, bottoms (when they were little, we mixed it with A&D for a heavier barrier), elbows, and scabs as a healing salve with no irritant effects like Neosporin will have…scabs don’t need that kind of irritation most often, just lubrication.

Offered on-line 5-11-08 (I don’t know the initial source of this link):

http://www.couponforum.com/lnk.php?http://www.eucerinus.com/aquaphor_newsletter0506/

Mother’s Day Weekend, Part A

Okay, so a few pics are sideways…then again, I was sideways a few times myself!

*The Park with Red for his field trip–Friday

*Airfield, Saturday–Saturday  (the sideways one with two boys is the plane I flew in with them).

Is that my hair, that straight?  Yup…straight iron.  Today was not a good hair day, however.  I let it dry naturally and could not correct that later.  Lesson learned.  I was swiping my bangs out of my eyes all morning after that mistake.

• trying couponsurfer.com tonight.  downloaded about ten dollars worth of coupons for products I would normally use anyway, and that will add some healthy variety to our meals again
• just checked out my first “coupon forum”…Yankee Candle Buy 2 Get 1 Free on All Large Jars!, 1-808 Flowers deal for Paypal users for Mother’s Day,
• Buy two 2-liters, get one free Click for coupon!

To steal Kimberly’s great new word, holidays are blessavations…the combination of blessing and aggravation.  I’m sure every mom on the planet is probably having this thought sometime this weekend.

1. My son’s friend has a blog.  He comments on it using my name.  We need to fix that.  (doghousewizard.wordpress.com)
2. The hub took us to an airport for small prop plane flights. Fun!  Pics later.
3. Three soccer games.
4. A friend’s husband caught fish and had us over for lunch.  Fun!
5. We are taking the hub’s mom for supper.  Fun!
6. We are taking my Mom for lunch tomorrow.  Fun!
7. We decided on the first shade of green we tried.  HA!
8. My house is a total wreck from painting.  Totally.  I picked up two pieces of pizza just laying around this morning.  I am wearing some of my last clean favorite clothes today.  Laundry needs –emminant.  I am still not finished painting the great room.  Yes, I will have local friends over when I’m done with this project, though I don’t think I’ll ever get done.
9. I get my eyes measured for Lasik this week. 
10. My SIL got to go see her Navy hub for Mother’s Day.  Cool!  She is traveling with two toddlers.  Wow.
11. I have been on more field trips than I can count this year.  Love it. 
12. Son’s elementary school graduation was scheduled at 12:30 so as to not intervere with middle school graduation, and to get a better turn-out. 
13. There is an elementary school “dance” after graduation until 4:30 to help them celebrate graduating and try to make middle school sound more fun.  Trying to wrap my mind around that, and thankful that my son doesn’t really care a thing about going so far.  Hoping it stays that way, truth be told! 
14. I needed to run to the store today and didn’t have my new coupon organizer with me!  Agh!   Note to self:  store in van.
15. Need to prepare music
16. Need to bake a cake tonight.
17. Upward photos this week:  photographers must make a killing the number of opportunities we’ve had this year.  This is our fourth. 

Love,

I took this picture yesterday while I waited for the bus to arrive at the park, anticipating your arrival, glad to be able to be with you for the day for a picnic and hike.  The last of the Dogwood blooms, some of my favorite.

Your third grade class went to Mammoth Cave for a field trip.  Your little friend, “Summer”, was also in our group, her mom couldn’t come.  She held my hand all day, a bit scared of the immense cave and it’s deep depths.  She said, “Your mom is pretty.”…I liked her immediately. I think we’ll be lifelong friends.  :D  I’m glad you have such sweet and kind friends!

You had been to the caves once before.  This time, you walked confidently, skipping, enjoying the beauty.

Getting dressed that morning, you wished for a Mammoth Cave “something to wear” and didn’t have anything.  It was cool and wet yesterday, so at the gift store, I saw a hoodie and offered it to you when you got to the store, though I usually don’t buy large gifts on field trips.  It was sweet to bless you.  You’ve never had a hoodie, and Mammoth IS one of the Seven Wonders of the World after all!

But, what you REALLY had your eye on was a little $3.00 bag of beautiful quartz rocks.  I wanted something for you more expensive than you wanted for yourself.  That blessed me.  You chose each carefully and stuffed them as tightly in the bag as you could.  You chose the smaller rocks so that you could have one of each to fit in the draw-string bag.  The best things are sometimes the small things, eh?

The guide described the making of stalagtites and stalagmites in the cave.  He said that when all the water runs fast and hard, a HOLE is formed in the rock, making room for the torrent. 

But, when a small drop of water drips slowly, one drop at a time, regularly, over time, mineral deposites are left behind, slowly forming the beauty we see in these unusual formations, these beautifully dripped sandcastles of rock. 

Small drips brings noticeable results over time!  Don’t we often wish for the torrent of change with speed and force?  But, God, our Maker, knows what is needed, what is best, to accomplish His purposes.  In that science lesson, I prayed for us to trust Him more as our Maker…how skillful He is!

You asked me when we got in last evening if it was time for your summer cut yet.  Dad had to get his cut.  I know you wanted to enjoy it with friends before school was out.  I’ll miss your braids, but it is a practical choice for summer and the pool.  Your Dad encourages practical choices where I can get sentimental, missing your locks and curls underneath.  You wanted to surprise him.  Your Mamaw does such a good job with your hair.  You two get giddy.

The “reveal”!  Daddy loved it, of course.

This morning, a completely different-looking girl than I had with me yesterday!  So confident and assured.  Your legs have seemed to have grown so long over the course of this year! 

Sometimes…change seems to happen like the torrent…

Yet, this year, I’ve seen a lot of “small drips”, too.  My little girl, growing up!  You’ve done so well this year.  Just yesterday, I heard you laughing, telling silly jokes, confidence sandwiched with two boys in the back seat of a car on the way home.  We didn’t know to expect that, and I was so thankful that you handled yourself with good humor. 

I love you, Precious.  A special day.  I’ll remember it always, but just wanted to record it quickly here while you are at school today–while it’s fresh on my mind and I’m still thinking of you.  (I’ll copy it for your journal for you to keep and remember, too.) 

Love,

Mom

Thursday.  Trip to Mammoth Cave…in the pouring rain.  Fortunately, it was just the drive and getting lost and driving with three kids in the backseat that provided drama.  The cave was dry. 

Did you know that if you are in a cave during an earthquake, it is reported to actually be the safer place to be, generally speaking?  The ground layers above rattle, like ripples on a pond, but the turtles on the bottom of the pond, us, 290 ft. under ground, wouldn’t feel a thing or even know there was a “ripple” above us overhead.  Hmmmm. 

Also, I sent my husband to mix the next mix of paint, and they mixed it wrong.  Wrong color lighter than the name we asked them to mix.  :D  

The search continues.

So, I’m on a Top Momma Roll this week, walking in the footsteps of my bloggite friend, Karla. It’s really just a game to see how long you can stay a “Top Momma”.  We’re all “Top Mommas” in my book.  But the more links we spread, the higher google ratings go, and the more Christian Momma Love we spread, so share the link love and do a few clicks, make Google-world a better place.  I’m all for that.  Links=better blog ratings.  Link often, link much, talk about one another by link and name and blog name…it all helps improve Chrisitan Google ratings with great blogs and articles that can help people all over the world, just by you being you!

Visit the Top Momma website and check out some great Momma blogs; while you are there be sure to click my coffee mugs photo icon to keep me a Top Momma as many days or times as you feel compelled…the fun is apparently to see how long you can stay a “Top Momma”. This one day is enough for me, but it’s a bit of fun.  I submitted my info a few months ago and just now got on the roll, so it can take a while, but go on and sign up while you’re there!

Alrighty, so here’s my binder!  Doesn’t it look great?  I’m ready to go shopping!  I don’t have a ton of coupons yet, but just with what I found laying on my desk and in my kitchen.  Took me ten minutes, and I didn’t touch a newspaper AT ALL.

If I would JUST use my Kroger coupons…they give me:

• brand I am already loyal toward,
• store brands
• pre-cut coupons
• for things I already buy often
• some free items
• significant money back for no/few strings

Yikes!  Peoples, I missed a “$3.00 of your order for being a loyal customer coupon” last week! And, embarrassingly, I’ve missed many of those jewels. Three bucks!  They were paying me for shopping there, thanking me SPECIFICALLY for buying my Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches, on sale!  

On my order TODAY, I would have saved $9.00 with the coupons they print out for me at check-out without  changing anything about my order, at all.  Plus, I would have taken home a box of free Duncan Hines cake mix (can always use on of those on  hand for emergencies), and a free $4.00 pack of salad almond slivers. 

I have been missing out.

The next time I shop, I will save $9 off things I already buy regularly, plus, perhaps pre-packaged emergency food for the kids I don’t normally buy (bagel pizza bites). 

I already had all the supplies and folder–took me ten minutes of cleaning out my desk and purse and going through expired stuff.

Makes me very happy.

Also…found four McDonalds free coupons for four 4-peice children’s chicken nuggets, one free Dairy Queen treat, and Dairy Queen coupons–Blizzard $1 off.  I’ll use that to celebrate, pronto!  I probably would have forgotten about them otherwise…just the way it is around these crazy parts.  I need help.