Last weekend we helped build a school, what did you do?

On Valentine’s Day while many were waiting hours to eat an over priced dinner. My bride and I spent the evening with fellow Christians that wanted to do more. The 2nd annual Valentine’s Day Gala by theVine.co was a night to remember.

The sole purpose of theVine.co is to raise money for their Mission and Outreach work locally and around the world. It is events like the Gala that make all their hard work possible. Last year enough was raised to buy a plot of land in Haiti. This year they raised funds to build a school and orphanage on that land.

At the Gala, we were greeted by rose barring kids. One of whom is from Haiti. There were numerous generous gifts donated by local companies. These items were being raffled off as well as silent auction items. All the proceeds were going to theVine.co.

Dinner was served with in several courses. Started off with bruschetta followed by a salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette. The main courses were comprised of either fish, chicken or steak. I opted for the steak, my wife the chicken. Both paired with mixed vegetables and potatoes. Desert was mini cupcakes and chocolate covered strawberries.

Towards the end of the meal, after Austin Adamec finished his musical set. Our emcee, local radio host Theresa from the Promise introduced our guest speaker. Many people know him as Javier (aka snake eyes) from the movie Courageous. He also starred in Mom’s Night Out. The one and only Robert Amaya.

Read More

A couple of days from now most men will be scrambling around to get to the local florist and Hallmark store to make their wives day special.  As a married man we dread this day more and more each year as we always feel the pressure to outdo last year’s festivities much less anyone else that our wives may know that might embarrass our feeble attempts at ingenuity. This is not to say that Valentine’s Day is not a special day that we should express our undying love for our wives; then again shouldn’t we as Christian men be doing that every day? We are taught throughout scripture (repeatedly) that we should love our wives, neighbors, enemies and well anyone that may ever cross our path right?  Nowhere does it say “men buy your wife a box of chocolate, ridiculously expensive flowers and a card to express your love to her.” Granted that probably sounded a bit blasphemous to those that don’t know any better and think that they are remiss if jewelry, flowers and chocolate are not bought (preferably before the day of gentlemen) for Valentine’s Day to be special. Valentine’s Day originally started out as a liturgical celebration of one of the early Christian saints, Valentinus(Saint Valentine).   It has also been associated with a Roman festival that involved sacrificing goats and dogs and then flogging women with the skins of the sacrifice.  It was not until the time of Geoffery Chaucer that Valentines was associated with love, cupid and the sort. So gentlemen […]

Read More