About Pepper...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE ?I was named after the actress Angie Dickinson from Police Woman in the 70’s. She played Sgt. Pepper Anderson. I tend to like to see the look on peoples faces though when I tell them that my parents were 'smoking something' and Pepper is what they came up with! hehe
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? I tend to get overwhelmed when I see the Lord’s hand in my life and how he is working in me. The realization that he loves me and continues to work through my life daily brings me to tears when I realize how unworthy I am. He continues to show grace to a sinful servant like me.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?It’s ok.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?Well I must admit that this one is tricky. I do like lunch meat. Turkey to me is oh so good. But, I have some kind of weird sandwich thing that I don’t understand. I can’t stand a pre-made sandwich. The smell of it after it comes out of a lunch box and out of a baggie is overwhelmingsly gross! But made fresh..i like ‘em.???
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Nope, still waiting on that blessing from God.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Um…yeah.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? No. I don’t really appreciate it.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Nope. Not good at risks taking.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I love cereal and I always have. I even enjoy it for dinner sometimes. Favorite s are hard. I like Lucky Charms,Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Apple Jacks…pretty much the ones that aren’t healthy!:)
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Nope.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I think that some of lifes journeys have made me strong, but that can be a weakness because as a sinner, I tend to think I am strong enough on my own and tend not to always rely on the Lord as I should. Boy how he pulls that rug out from under me sometimes so that I can get closer to him.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? I really like the Sweet Cream with brownie from Marble Slab.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes and smile.
15. RED OR PINK? Um...neither are really a fav.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF? My desire to be the least bit vunerable as possible. Many times it keeps me from great opportunitites and closer relationships…The Lord's working…
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Time…I feel like I just don’t have much. Can’t believe I am taking the time to fill this out!! How many more questions are there????
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Navy Old Navy fleece pants..no sock and no shoes.
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Chick-fil-a…John Berry’s favorite. We should buy stock!
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Everybody loves Raymond…that mother in law:)…..
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? I have no idea
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? The smell after rain or freshly mowed grass.
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My hubby
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? The ones my husband coaches. I love to see him interact with the boys on the football field and the girls on the basketball court. Or there are the ones he’s playing in. I enjoy those too.
25. HAIR COLOR? Brownish blonde.
26. EYE COLOR? Blue
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes…thank you Lord for corrective lenses…I’m SO blind and would love to have corrective eye surgery. I can’t imagine what it would be like to wake up and be able to see without glasses or plastic!
28. FAVORITE FOOD? At a resturant- Chicken Scampi from Olive Garden…Homemade- love some soup in the winter.
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Don’t watch scary movies so def. happy endings
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?Nooma video called Lump..awesome inspirational videos by Rob Bell….full length movie- We Are Marshall..oh so good and based on a true story which tends to be my fav.
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Watauga Pioneer Blue
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? I love them both for different reasons. Love the summer because I’m a teacher and I don’t have to work!!!! Love the winter because I love snow. It’s so beautiful.
33. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs
34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake or key lime pie make me smile
35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Captivating by Stasi Eldredge..oh so good.
36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? touch pad on the laptop.
37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? Rob Bell video. Check them out. They are so good!
38. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The school bell ringing at 2:30 in the afternoon!!! WOOOHOO!!..beyond school I enjoy hearing John laugh. It’s so contagious!
39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Israel
41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Um…no
42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Winston Salem, North Carolina

Children of the World: Take 2!!!

I was blessed on Sunday with the opportunity to see the amazing Children of the World again! My how they have grown since November. They have now seen their first snow, experienced their first Thanksgiving and their first Christmas--US style!

Isaac and Giadon saw John and I walking into the church and ran to us! I was so excited that they remembered us! Isaac embraced me and said, "Auntie, I didn't think I would see you again in all my life!"...It was simply precious! I stayed and watched the children perform 3 different times! It was the best Sunday worship I've had a in a while!!! They are just amazing. Alliance Bible Fellowship raised $25,000 through their 3 services to fund a new home for 12 orphans and a leader in Africa! How amazing!

Once again I had to say goodbye! They are constantly on my heart, in my prayers, and on my mind! If you have the opportunity to see them, I offer only this one disclaimer: The children will reach into you and take your heart and I can't promise that you will ever be the same!

Winter Extreme

Not long after Christmas we packed up and took 25 teenagers to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a conference. It's an annual event for Greenway and something that we all look forward to! It's a time of fun, food, music and growing!

Each night a group is assigned to wait in line and try and get the best seats possible. Our group along, with 5,000 other people always want to be as close as we can be to the stage. For two years running our group has ended up with a front row seat at some time during the conference! This year we enjoyed TOBY MAC!!! He's one of our favorites and was playing the first night. New Song, Skillet, and Chris Tomlin were also prepared to take the stage throughout the weekend. Unfortunately Chris Tomlin didn't get to come due to Kidney Stones. We were so disappointed , but continually prayed for his recovery as a collective group. Though that was disappointing it was still amazing.

Eurgan Canter, former Muslim, now hard core Christian and president of Liberty University brought the word along with David Nasser, and Johnny Hunt! It was so good. David Nasser's word really got me and has continued to effect me since the weekend.

He told the amazing story of the great Blondini. He was a daredevil and had the crazy desire to cross Niagara Falls by walking on a tightrope. Not only that, but he was going to carry a wheelbarrow across with him. Thousands thought he was crazy and many gathered to simply watch the 'crazy' man fall to his death. When Blondini walked across the first time with the wheelbarrow the crowd cheered! To their amazement he turned in the other direction and crossed back over the falls. The thousands that had gathered to watch him fall to his death, were now cheering in amazement! Blondini hushed the crowds and yelled, "Who believes that I can cross this again?" Everyone cheered. Again he hushed the crowd and added, "if you trust and believe that I can do it, then get in the wheelbarrow!" Of course not everyone jumped up at once!

David Nasser paralled this story with our everyday walk with Christ. Daily we are challenged to trust him with our life and to allow him to steer us across the tightrope of life.

Christmas...

We have hit the new year running-- in a million different directions I might add! I actually have the time to update our blog because school is cancelled due to that beautiful white stuff!!!! SNOW!!! I love it!!!

Before Christmas ever got here we enjoyed a overnight lock in with the youth! WE enjoyed a time of skating and then had a gingerbread competition. The kids were so creative. You can see by the Peterbuilt creation!

Unfortunately for Garrett and Blake it won 2nd place to Hannah's masterpiece!!! The kids played 'White Elephant' and then we tricked them by playing another game of left/right Christmas! They really had a good time! We couldn't ask for better behaved kids! They are a joy to watch grow!

The night after the sleepover we hosted our friends for a gift exchange. This year, in an effort to save money since John and I just bought a house, Jarrett and Lara are building their house, Brenna and Daniel just got married and are hoping to take an extended vacation this summer and Klay and Marsha are traveling to New Zealand over Spring Break, we all decided to draw names. Even with the eight of us, with names all mixed up, it was funny how the couples ended up drawing couples names. John and I got Brenna and Daniel. Klay and Marsha were picked by Jarrett and Lara and then Brenna and Daniel picked Jarrett and Lara. What are the chances of that happening!? We enjoyed snacks, laughs and ended the night with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!

Christmas was great. We had my family up to our new home for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner and presents! It was alot of fun! We enjoyed all the gifts we received! John got new tools! He swears I use them and lose them?? I have no idea what he is talking about:) I received beautiful pearls that are my absolute favorite! Since the holiday I have worn them numerous times and received many compliments! We have thoroughly enjoyed our Starbucks gift cards and Tanger Outlet Gift cards! I always have loved giving gifts! You can tell that Nana always enjoys the surprise of whatever is wrapped up in those pretty packages. I wouldn't trade that look on her face, and the excitement that I feel by giving for all the savings in the world.

John and I enjoyed a quiet Christmas morning together. We enjoy the tradition of stuffing our stockings with enjoyable gifts! We had some breakfast, watched Santa Clause 2 and then began to pack up and head to Hendo to visit his parents, Brandon, Coley and Ella, along with the extended family. Denice blessed me with a KITCHEN AID mixer! I was so excited and so very surprised. We are truly blessed by both sides of our families and their abilites to bless us with special gifts. This year John Sr. blessed me with a new lens for my camera that allows me to see so very closeup! AND then to be surprised with an awesome accessory for my kitchen was amazing. Denice was so excited to give the gift, that she had me open it as soon as we came in the house. That was a great moment. I really enjoyed the idea of her thinking so much of my desires and being excited to give it to me! John got money go towards his tv fund. It was just great altogether. Ella was as adorable as usual! I enjoyed watching her open our cute little outfit for her! She is just too cute for words!

John and I also had a surprise up our sleeves for the Berry Family. We had worked endless hours to create a memorable gift from our Israel trip that we had taken as a family. Together we put together a DVD with all the places that we had been included. John worked 30+ hours editing priceless home video taken on the trip by he and Brandon and I worked together the pics that Nicole and I had taken to be included. Though you always find things that you are not paticularly happy with, we felt that it came together well for the two of us. It was nice surprise for the family and a gift that we hope will be enjoyed for many generations.

We also got the opportunity to visit Mamaw Clara in the nursing home! Ella gave her a nice full diaper and B played the violin! She enjoyed seeing the boys!

What an amazing time of celebration that the Lord blessed us with!