Enjoy.
Wes
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Pumpkin Patch Photos!--October 28, 2007
We had a great turnout for Pumpkin Patch 2007! Take a look at these photos. I realize that they aren't Robbie Rogers quality, but, hey, I do the best that I can with my inferior equipment.
Enjoy.
Wes
Enjoy.
Wes
Weekly Update and Related Matters
Friends:
Good afternoon, all! Beautiful weather, eh?! Well, my plan is to see if I can get this message posted before Pumpkin Patch. Here goes!
First off, I hope everyone enjoyed watching the last half of the Don Piper video this morning. I know I did. Rather powerful stuff, I must say. Next week, we will plan to finish discussing Piper’s book 90 Minutes in Heaven. In preparation for next Sunday, I hope that all of you will find something interesting in the book and plan to share it with us next week!
Us Nulls took care of snacks this morning. Way to go, us! Next week, Vince and Mary are in charge. We appreciate it, Ericksons!
Let’s go ahead and jump to our prayers and praises.
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
Here are two prayers from Mary Erickson:
My friend Kelly & her husband are relocating to San Antonio in order to get dialysis for Zachary. Killeen & Austin don't have the facilities he needs. The last test he had, showed no kidney function at all; he will need dialysis until he is old enough for a transplant.
My friend Amie's mom is having tests run; the Dr's think she may have Lupus. Pray for strength for Amie and her mom. Also Amie's husband Jeremy will be transferring from 3 corps to 1st Cav the beginning of November to go into the field around Baghdad. Both of these things are very stressful & Amie's MS tends to flair up during stressful events Just pray for God's protection for this family.
--------
Carey P. has asked that we pray for her friend Courtney and her 18 month old boy named Weston. Weston was recently admitted to Scott and White with a low platelet count. Please pray for health for Weston.
Vince and Mary are out of town this weekend. Please pray for thief safe travel.
Let’s continue to pray for the McCrarys. Thanks again to all of you who volunteered to take them a meal.
We need to keep up the prayers for Brian VanZee’s aunts. The one who had colon cancer surgery is now having trouble with her legs. Pray for strength for her. Brian’s other aunt, the one who had an aneurysm, is now off medication and apparently doing a bit better. Please pray for strength for her as well.
Two of our families are continuing to work to sell their homes. The Mays and the Jantzes need some good luck on the home front. Pray that two families will come along who need a good place to live.
Teresa Sullivan would like for us to pray for her mentor at school. Her son David has been diagnosed with cancer. Please pray for strength for everyone and for David as he fights the cancer.
Also with the Sullivans, Ben leaves tomorrow for three weeks near Houston. He is starting his new job. Pray for safe travel and work for Ben and for Teresa while she is here at home with the kids.
We need to pray for Pam Bartram’s mother. She recently discovered a lump in her breast. They are currently waiting the results from the lab as far as what the lump entails. Please pray for strength for Pam, her mom, and their family. Pray, also, for nothing but positive news. We’re praying for you, Pam!
Kris Tooley’s sister had her baby! Praise God for this great news. Please pray for continued health for mom and baby.
We need to continue to pray for Fred Curtis. Pray that his strength will return and that he will be able to go home soon.
I will be leaving on Thursday for a conference in Louisville (my last trip until April--hallelujah!). I will be back late Saturday night. Please pray for safe travel.
Also on the travel front, my parents are driving home to New Mexico this afternoon. Pray for their safe travel as well.
We ran a bit short on time this morning, so if any of you have extra prayers, please send them along! Or, with the blog, there is always the option of clicking on “comments” at the bottom of this message and posting your prayers right there on the blog for all to see.
----------
I think that’s all for today everyone. Let’s have a big time at the Pumpkin Patch! I promise to post some pictures later on this evening or tomorrow.
Oh, one more thing, we will begin our next book, The Perfect Leader, in two weeks. I plan to hand out the books next week. If you want a copy, please let me know by tomorrow (Monday) afternoon! The price will be $13.
I think that’s all for now.
Have a great week, everyone!
Wes and Dana
Good afternoon, all! Beautiful weather, eh?! Well, my plan is to see if I can get this message posted before Pumpkin Patch. Here goes!
First off, I hope everyone enjoyed watching the last half of the Don Piper video this morning. I know I did. Rather powerful stuff, I must say. Next week, we will plan to finish discussing Piper’s book 90 Minutes in Heaven. In preparation for next Sunday, I hope that all of you will find something interesting in the book and plan to share it with us next week!
Us Nulls took care of snacks this morning. Way to go, us! Next week, Vince and Mary are in charge. We appreciate it, Ericksons!
Let’s go ahead and jump to our prayers and praises.
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
Here are two prayers from Mary Erickson:
My friend Kelly & her husband are relocating to San Antonio in order to get dialysis for Zachary. Killeen & Austin don't have the facilities he needs. The last test he had, showed no kidney function at all; he will need dialysis until he is old enough for a transplant.
My friend Amie's mom is having tests run; the Dr's think she may have Lupus. Pray for strength for Amie and her mom. Also Amie's husband Jeremy will be transferring from 3 corps to 1st Cav the beginning of November to go into the field around Baghdad. Both of these things are very stressful & Amie's MS tends to flair up during stressful events Just pray for God's protection for this family.
--------
Carey P. has asked that we pray for her friend Courtney and her 18 month old boy named Weston. Weston was recently admitted to Scott and White with a low platelet count. Please pray for health for Weston.
Vince and Mary are out of town this weekend. Please pray for thief safe travel.
Let’s continue to pray for the McCrarys. Thanks again to all of you who volunteered to take them a meal.
We need to keep up the prayers for Brian VanZee’s aunts. The one who had colon cancer surgery is now having trouble with her legs. Pray for strength for her. Brian’s other aunt, the one who had an aneurysm, is now off medication and apparently doing a bit better. Please pray for strength for her as well.
Two of our families are continuing to work to sell their homes. The Mays and the Jantzes need some good luck on the home front. Pray that two families will come along who need a good place to live.
Teresa Sullivan would like for us to pray for her mentor at school. Her son David has been diagnosed with cancer. Please pray for strength for everyone and for David as he fights the cancer.
Also with the Sullivans, Ben leaves tomorrow for three weeks near Houston. He is starting his new job. Pray for safe travel and work for Ben and for Teresa while she is here at home with the kids.
We need to pray for Pam Bartram’s mother. She recently discovered a lump in her breast. They are currently waiting the results from the lab as far as what the lump entails. Please pray for strength for Pam, her mom, and their family. Pray, also, for nothing but positive news. We’re praying for you, Pam!
Kris Tooley’s sister had her baby! Praise God for this great news. Please pray for continued health for mom and baby.
We need to continue to pray for Fred Curtis. Pray that his strength will return and that he will be able to go home soon.
I will be leaving on Thursday for a conference in Louisville (my last trip until April--hallelujah!). I will be back late Saturday night. Please pray for safe travel.
Also on the travel front, my parents are driving home to New Mexico this afternoon. Pray for their safe travel as well.
We ran a bit short on time this morning, so if any of you have extra prayers, please send them along! Or, with the blog, there is always the option of clicking on “comments” at the bottom of this message and posting your prayers right there on the blog for all to see.
----------
I think that’s all for today everyone. Let’s have a big time at the Pumpkin Patch! I promise to post some pictures later on this evening or tomorrow.
Oh, one more thing, we will begin our next book, The Perfect Leader, in two weeks. I plan to hand out the books next week. If you want a copy, please let me know by tomorrow (Monday) afternoon! The price will be $13.
I think that’s all for now.
Have a great week, everyone!
Wes and Dana
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Weekend, Christmas Party, and Other Stuff
Friends:
Hello, everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week. Hallelujah for the weekend! First of all, I want to say thanks to Mary for arranging things for Ashlee and David. I know they will appreciate the meals very much. Doing this also provides us with an opportunity to meet the newest McCrary and talk with them outside of Sunday morning. Thanks to all of you who volunteered to take a meal. I know this will bless the entire McCrary family during this important first few weeks of Rylie’s life!
Next, I have an update on our class Christmas party. The first decision we need to make pertains to the “bounce house” for the kids. Take a look at this link and let me know what you think would be good for the kids. Any preferences? Beware, however, that the site includes music. Click on start, then “Inflatables,” and then “Bounce Houses.”
http://www.celebrationcentralwaco.com/
I also have gathered some more information about catering that I can share with you on Sunday.
Next, this Sunday morning we will plan to finish up with the video of Don Piper. To make sure we get to finish it, I think we’ll plan to start with that and do our prayers at the end of class. We’ll try switching things and see how that goes. We will discuss Piper's book as well. Read as much as you have time for!
Last, our next class book will be The Perfect Leader by Kenneth Boa. We will plan to start it on Nov 12th. If you want a copy, let me know and I will order you one. The cost will be $13.
Dana and I look forward to seeing all of you on Sunday morning!
Wes
Hello, everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week. Hallelujah for the weekend! First of all, I want to say thanks to Mary for arranging things for Ashlee and David. I know they will appreciate the meals very much. Doing this also provides us with an opportunity to meet the newest McCrary and talk with them outside of Sunday morning. Thanks to all of you who volunteered to take a meal. I know this will bless the entire McCrary family during this important first few weeks of Rylie’s life!
Next, I have an update on our class Christmas party. The first decision we need to make pertains to the “bounce house” for the kids. Take a look at this link and let me know what you think would be good for the kids. Any preferences? Beware, however, that the site includes music. Click on start, then “Inflatables,” and then “Bounce Houses.”
http://www.celebrationcentralwaco.com/
I also have gathered some more information about catering that I can share with you on Sunday.
Next, this Sunday morning we will plan to finish up with the video of Don Piper. To make sure we get to finish it, I think we’ll plan to start with that and do our prayers at the end of class. We’ll try switching things and see how that goes. We will discuss Piper's book as well. Read as much as you have time for!
Last, our next class book will be The Perfect Leader by Kenneth Boa. We will plan to start it on Nov 12th. If you want a copy, let me know and I will order you one. The cost will be $13.
Dana and I look forward to seeing all of you on Sunday morning!
Wes
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Column
Friends:
I thought a recent column of mine might interest you.
Wes
-----
Counterproductive Talk of School-reform Utopia
Wesley Null
guest column
Sunday, October 21, 2007, p. 10A
Waco Tribune-Herald
For more than a century, Americans have been in search of the great “quick fix” to “cure the problems” of public education.
Modern science claims to fix things. Curriculum and teaching, like many other fields, have been under the influence of modern science for at least 100 years.
Curriculum and teaching, however, are moral and social in nature, not theoretic. Curriculum and teaching cannot be “fixed” like we might fix a flat on the car or cure polio.
Making this point would not be so important if the opposite view were not so politically prevalent.
Listen to the unfortunate terminology of Deborah Stipek, dean of the School of Education at Stanford University. She recently wrote in the Dallas Morning News that universities need to follow Stanford’s lead and “fix the problems” of schools by “connecting schools with universities to ensure unbiased and rigorous research” in order to “transform our K-12 schools.”
I agree entirely that universities should join with K-12 schools, and we do that at Baylor University.
Beyond that, however, I have some concerns with her argument. As an education professor, I want to make sure that the profession of teaching does not promise an impossible future. Connecting universities with classroom practice benefits all of us only if we connect this task to a realistic view of human nature.
I do not follow Stipek’s vision that joining empirical research with practice will produce utopia.
Empirical studies can help us to improve practice in many ways, but human nature dictates the extent to which we can “fix” the social and moral problems that surround curriculum, teaching and schooling.
Teachers deal with human beings. Human beings are inherently flawed. We can improve ourselves, but we cannot engineer perfection.
I’m 34 and plan to contribute to the fields of curriculum, teaching and teacher education for at least 40 more years.
What do we do 10 years from now when we’ve thought we “fixed” schools and we still face difficult problems as teachers and teacher educators?
What do we do when the mirage of a perfect future does not materialize? What do we do when human nature proves yet again that we are fallen creatures?
Curriculum and teaching are unique kinds of problems. Teachers deal with human beings who have souls and a will. That reality makes teaching more difficult than any other art.
Physicians work to heal bodies, not souls. Engineers deal with bricks and steel, not souls. Teachers always shape students’ minds in the direction of right and wrong.
Without cooperation from willing students, teachers will make no impact. This reality makes teaching a cooperative art, not a productive one.
Educational history is littered with utopian reformers who promised a panacea, became popular and then vanished into thin air when the next salesman came along.
As a professor of curriculum, the long-term point to make is that teaching children and youth will always be difficult.
We will not produce a golden age in which all children are happily gobbling up every sliver of knowledge that we drop before them. There will never be a shortcut to good curriculum and teaching.
Stipek argues that we need “systematically developed knowledge.” Such a plan may be a good idea, but “systematic knowledge” in and of itself is not what we need.
We need people who know what to do with “systematic knowledge.” We need educational leaders who know the difference between a social problem and a theoretic one.
The time has come to emphasize virtue, character and statesmanship on the part of all people who lead educational institutions.
Only people who possess these traits can put systematic knowledge into practice in a responsible way.
Yes, we need to get more people out of universities and into classrooms. But let’s make sure that we pursue this goal based on a firm foundation and with a long-term vision in mind.
As we find in the book of Proverbs, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Let’s make sure that our vision is rooted in both reality and truth. That’s an argument for connecting universities with schools for the long-term.
------------
Wesley Null is associate professor of curriculum in the School of Education and the Honors College at Baylor University. He is the editor, with Diane Ravitch, of Forgotten Heroes of American Education: The Great Tradition of Teaching Teachers. E-mail: Wesley_Null@baylor.edu.
I thought a recent column of mine might interest you.
Wes
-----
Counterproductive Talk of School-reform Utopia
Wesley Null
guest column
Sunday, October 21, 2007, p. 10A
Waco Tribune-Herald
For more than a century, Americans have been in search of the great “quick fix” to “cure the problems” of public education.
Modern science claims to fix things. Curriculum and teaching, like many other fields, have been under the influence of modern science for at least 100 years.
Curriculum and teaching, however, are moral and social in nature, not theoretic. Curriculum and teaching cannot be “fixed” like we might fix a flat on the car or cure polio.
Making this point would not be so important if the opposite view were not so politically prevalent.
Listen to the unfortunate terminology of Deborah Stipek, dean of the School of Education at Stanford University. She recently wrote in the Dallas Morning News that universities need to follow Stanford’s lead and “fix the problems” of schools by “connecting schools with universities to ensure unbiased and rigorous research” in order to “transform our K-12 schools.”
I agree entirely that universities should join with K-12 schools, and we do that at Baylor University.
Beyond that, however, I have some concerns with her argument. As an education professor, I want to make sure that the profession of teaching does not promise an impossible future. Connecting universities with classroom practice benefits all of us only if we connect this task to a realistic view of human nature.
I do not follow Stipek’s vision that joining empirical research with practice will produce utopia.
Empirical studies can help us to improve practice in many ways, but human nature dictates the extent to which we can “fix” the social and moral problems that surround curriculum, teaching and schooling.
Teachers deal with human beings. Human beings are inherently flawed. We can improve ourselves, but we cannot engineer perfection.
I’m 34 and plan to contribute to the fields of curriculum, teaching and teacher education for at least 40 more years.
What do we do 10 years from now when we’ve thought we “fixed” schools and we still face difficult problems as teachers and teacher educators?
What do we do when the mirage of a perfect future does not materialize? What do we do when human nature proves yet again that we are fallen creatures?
Curriculum and teaching are unique kinds of problems. Teachers deal with human beings who have souls and a will. That reality makes teaching more difficult than any other art.
Physicians work to heal bodies, not souls. Engineers deal with bricks and steel, not souls. Teachers always shape students’ minds in the direction of right and wrong.
Without cooperation from willing students, teachers will make no impact. This reality makes teaching a cooperative art, not a productive one.
Educational history is littered with utopian reformers who promised a panacea, became popular and then vanished into thin air when the next salesman came along.
As a professor of curriculum, the long-term point to make is that teaching children and youth will always be difficult.
We will not produce a golden age in which all children are happily gobbling up every sliver of knowledge that we drop before them. There will never be a shortcut to good curriculum and teaching.
Stipek argues that we need “systematically developed knowledge.” Such a plan may be a good idea, but “systematic knowledge” in and of itself is not what we need.
We need people who know what to do with “systematic knowledge.” We need educational leaders who know the difference between a social problem and a theoretic one.
The time has come to emphasize virtue, character and statesmanship on the part of all people who lead educational institutions.
Only people who possess these traits can put systematic knowledge into practice in a responsible way.
Yes, we need to get more people out of universities and into classrooms. But let’s make sure that we pursue this goal based on a firm foundation and with a long-term vision in mind.
As we find in the book of Proverbs, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
Let’s make sure that our vision is rooted in both reality and truth. That’s an argument for connecting universities with schools for the long-term.
------------
Wesley Null is associate professor of curriculum in the School of Education and the Honors College at Baylor University. He is the editor, with Diane Ravitch, of Forgotten Heroes of American Education: The Great Tradition of Teaching Teachers. E-mail: Wesley_Null@baylor.edu.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Here Comes the Cold Weather and Our Class News!
Friends:
Good evening, all! Rumor has it that the cold weather will be blowing in late tonight. Hope you’ve enjoyed our last warm day for a while!
Thanks to Brian Nicholson! He was superdad this morning. Brian brought both the Nicholson girls to church and class, along with donuts! Thanks, Brian. Next week, us Nulls got it covered.
Let’s get right to our news, prayers, and praises.
Praise God for the new McCrary baby! Rylie Paige McCrary was born on Thursday. She was 8 lbs 5 oz. I don’t know her length and will post photos as soon as I get some. As far as I know, Ashlee and Rylie are doing great. I believe they were supposed to go home today at Noon. Mary Erickson has kindly agreed to arrange meals for the McCrarys. Look for an email from Mary soon. In the mean time, please continue to pray for the McCrary family!
Also on the praise front, thank God for the great decision by the Burneys this morning! They have decided to join our church officially. We are delighted to have you guys, Brad and Jenessa! Welcome aboard!
Vince E. has asked that we pray for his friends Cole and Iva. They will be headed back to court this Tuesday for another important decision. Please ask that God will be with them during this difficult day. Pray, also, for good decisions by the judge.
Barry Sullivan would like for us to pray for his Aunt, Debbie Armstrong. Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer this past week. She will be having surgery this upcoming week. Debbie also has diabetes. Please ask God to be with Debbie and her family during this difficult time.
Teresa Sullivan brought news this morning that her father’s surgery went well last week. He still, however, has a long road to recovery. Please pray that he will get stronger each day.
Also with the B & T Sullivans, Ben brought good news this morning that it looks as though he will get the new job near Houston that he has been wanting. This change will, however, mean that he will have to be away from Teresa and the kids for 14 days straight when he works. He also will be working on rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Please pray for Ben’s safety and for Teresa and the kids while Ben starts this new job. Teresa also would like for us to pray for her school district, Rosebud-Lott, as they search for a new superintendent.
Benjamin May has come down with strep throat. Please pray that Ben will get well and back to school soon. Strep throat is going around, so beware!
Mary Erickson would like for us to pray for her grandmother. She had colon cancer surgery last week. The good news is that the surgery went well. Please pray that her recovery will go smoothly and quickly.
Praise God for a great turnout at the Brian McDonough event! We heard this morning that the event raised approximately $55,000 for the McDonough family. Great news! I believe their goal was $25,000, so they are pleased with the result. Thanks to all of you who participated.
Please continue to pray for Landry Reed and his family. My understanding is that they are still having a hard time finding someone to help Landry.
Mary Erickson has asked that we continue to pray for little Zachary, the baby who was born with renal failure. It looks as though he will live, but he will need dialysis. Please ask God to continue to be with Zachary’s family and everyone else who is helping him.
Last but not least, please pray for our Youth Pastor Search. Pray that we will find exactly the person we need.
----------
I believe that covers everything for this week, folks. Next week in class, we will finish up with the Don Piper video. I believe that everyone is enjoying hearing him talk about his book.
After 90 Minutes in Heaven, we will move forward with a book called The Perfect Leader: Practicing the Leadership Traits of God by Kenneth Boa. I think all of you will enjoy the book.
Have a great week, everyone!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Good evening, all! Rumor has it that the cold weather will be blowing in late tonight. Hope you’ve enjoyed our last warm day for a while!
Thanks to Brian Nicholson! He was superdad this morning. Brian brought both the Nicholson girls to church and class, along with donuts! Thanks, Brian. Next week, us Nulls got it covered.
Let’s get right to our news, prayers, and praises.
Praise God for the new McCrary baby! Rylie Paige McCrary was born on Thursday. She was 8 lbs 5 oz. I don’t know her length and will post photos as soon as I get some. As far as I know, Ashlee and Rylie are doing great. I believe they were supposed to go home today at Noon. Mary Erickson has kindly agreed to arrange meals for the McCrarys. Look for an email from Mary soon. In the mean time, please continue to pray for the McCrary family!
Also on the praise front, thank God for the great decision by the Burneys this morning! They have decided to join our church officially. We are delighted to have you guys, Brad and Jenessa! Welcome aboard!
Vince E. has asked that we pray for his friends Cole and Iva. They will be headed back to court this Tuesday for another important decision. Please ask that God will be with them during this difficult day. Pray, also, for good decisions by the judge.
Barry Sullivan would like for us to pray for his Aunt, Debbie Armstrong. Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer this past week. She will be having surgery this upcoming week. Debbie also has diabetes. Please ask God to be with Debbie and her family during this difficult time.
Teresa Sullivan brought news this morning that her father’s surgery went well last week. He still, however, has a long road to recovery. Please pray that he will get stronger each day.
Also with the B & T Sullivans, Ben brought good news this morning that it looks as though he will get the new job near Houston that he has been wanting. This change will, however, mean that he will have to be away from Teresa and the kids for 14 days straight when he works. He also will be working on rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Please pray for Ben’s safety and for Teresa and the kids while Ben starts this new job. Teresa also would like for us to pray for her school district, Rosebud-Lott, as they search for a new superintendent.
Benjamin May has come down with strep throat. Please pray that Ben will get well and back to school soon. Strep throat is going around, so beware!
Mary Erickson would like for us to pray for her grandmother. She had colon cancer surgery last week. The good news is that the surgery went well. Please pray that her recovery will go smoothly and quickly.
Praise God for a great turnout at the Brian McDonough event! We heard this morning that the event raised approximately $55,000 for the McDonough family. Great news! I believe their goal was $25,000, so they are pleased with the result. Thanks to all of you who participated.
Please continue to pray for Landry Reed and his family. My understanding is that they are still having a hard time finding someone to help Landry.
Mary Erickson has asked that we continue to pray for little Zachary, the baby who was born with renal failure. It looks as though he will live, but he will need dialysis. Please ask God to continue to be with Zachary’s family and everyone else who is helping him.
Last but not least, please pray for our Youth Pastor Search. Pray that we will find exactly the person we need.
----------
I believe that covers everything for this week, folks. Next week in class, we will finish up with the Don Piper video. I believe that everyone is enjoying hearing him talk about his book.
After 90 Minutes in Heaven, we will move forward with a book called The Perfect Leader: Practicing the Leadership Traits of God by Kenneth Boa. I think all of you will enjoy the book.
Have a great week, everyone!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
I Surrender All
Well, for those of you who may be wondering, the "Move Over Law" violation story came to an end this afternoon. After much deliberation, I have thrown in the towel. I envisioned singing "Victory in Jesus" at this point, but instead it looks as though I need to sing "I Surrender All". After receiving my driving record, which is squeaky clean with not a line on it, I decide to just send a check. I put it in the mail today. I have now donated $293 to the Westlake Municipal Court. I hope they use it wisely. Fighting the ticket would have required at least two trips to Dallas, which would have cost $80 by themselves. But doesn't $293 seem a bit outrageous?!
Oh well, I'm over it, I think. In the mean time, us Nulls have more important things to think about. Corbin has come down with strep throat! Thanks for your prayers that the boy will feel better soon. Today was better than yesterday . . .
Wes
Oh well, I'm over it, I think. In the mean time, us Nulls have more important things to think about. Corbin has come down with strep throat! Thanks for your prayers that the boy will feel better soon. Today was better than yesterday . . .
Wes
Monday, October 15, 2007
Message from Brian VanZee
Friends:
Please pray for both of Brian's aunts. See his message below.
----------
Wes,
I too need to add another prayer concern; last night I got a phone call from my parents and an aunt on my Dad’s side collapsed and remained unconscious yesterday afternoon due to a brain aneurysm. They were going to do surgery last night to try and repair it. Please pray for her, the doctors and the rest of the family. Thanks.
Please pray for both of Brian's aunts. See his message below.
----------
Wes,
I too need to add another prayer concern; last night I got a phone call from my parents and an aunt on my Dad’s side collapsed and remained unconscious yesterday afternoon due to a brain aneurysm. They were going to do surgery last night to try and repair it. Please pray for her, the doctors and the rest of the family. Thanks.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Message from Mary Erickson
See the message below from Mary. Please pray for little Zachary and his parents.
Wes
---------
Wes,
I just got an update on my friend Kelly's baby. Apparently they have been transferred from S&W in Temple to San Antonio to the Air Force hospital (they are active duty Army) because little Zachary is in Kidney failure. Could you please forward this to everyone? PLEASE PRAY that the Dr's will have the wisdom & knowledge to help this little guy. Pray for Kelly & David too - I can't imagine what they must be going through...
Thanks!!!
Mary
Wes
---------
Wes,
I just got an update on my friend Kelly's baby. Apparently they have been transferred from S&W in Temple to San Antonio to the Air Force hospital (they are active duty Army) because little Zachary is in Kidney failure. Could you please forward this to everyone? PLEASE PRAY that the Dr's will have the wisdom & knowledge to help this little guy. Pray for Kelly & David too - I can't imagine what they must be going through...
Thanks!!!
Mary
This Week’s Update--Lots Going On
Dear Friends:
Hello, all! Well, my plan is to get this message written before the big Dallas Cowboy showdown at 3:00 p.m. Corbin is asleep and Dana’s shopping with Raegan (always a dangerous activity). We’ll see how much I get done!
First off, let’s say a big welcome to Heather Jenkins and Bernice Sheppard, who visited our class this morning. We were delighted to have you guys, Heather and Bernice! We hope that you will come back and see us again next Sunday. The jokes get better every week, I promise!
Next, I want to say thank you to Brian and Jill VanZee for bringing our donuts this morning. We appreciate it, VanZees! Next week, Brian and Amy are in charge. In case you don’t recognize him, feel free to introduce yourself to Brian. He’s the tall guy with brown hair.
CHRISTMAS PARTY UPDATE
I want to remind you again that our class Christmas party will take place on Friday, December 14th, at the Family Life Center. We will plan to have someone cater the event. Shelley B. is looking into some possibilities for us. Thanks, Shelley B.! Don’t forget to put the date on your calendar, everyone!
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
We have lots of prayers and praises today. First, please pray for Steve May’s dad. His name is Estol. He has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Please pray that he will get the treatments that he needs. Pray also for Steve and the entire May family.
Vince E. has asked that we continue to pray for his friends Cole and Iva. Iva will be having surgery this week. Pray that it will go well. Pray, also, for Cole as he looks after the two little ones.
We need to continue to pray for Brian VanZee’s aunt. Her surgery is this week as well. Please pray that the surgery will go well. Pray that God will support her and her family during this difficult time.
Teresa Sullivan’s dad will have his gastric by-pass surgery this Tuesday. Please pray for strength for Teresa’s dad and for the entire family. Pray that the surgery will be successful and that it will add time to his life.
Erica Sullivan has asked that we pray for her stepfather, Dave. He has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Please pray that he responds to his treatments.
Gracyn Goolsby has been sick for several days. Please pray that she will have a healthier week at school this week.
Jenny Jantz has asked that we pray for her father, Roy. He has suffered from heart disease for many years. He had a scare last night, but appears to be doing okay. Please pray for his health. Pray, also, for Jenny’s dad, her mom, and her grandmother as they travel to Waco next week. We’ll get to see them in class (tame jokes next week!). Pray for their safe travel.
Praise God for the great story about Gabe Dominguez in the paper! Gabe, we are very proud of your work. Your story is quite inspirational. Keep up the great work! For those of you who didn’t read the story, click here (the link only works in the blog). If you can, come see us soon, Gabe!
We need to continue to pray for Landry Reed, the little boy who has been having so much difficulty with antibiotics. He and his parents will travel to Cook’s in Houston this week.
Jeff Fadal has asked that we pray for their neighbors who just had a baby. The baby has been having some difficulties, so please pray for his health.
The big day is almost here for David and Ashlee McCrary! Please pray that the birth will go well. As soon as I get information (and pictures!), I’ll post it to the blog.
Mary Erickson brought a praise this morning that her friend Kelly had a baby this week. His name is Zachary Smith. He was born with a collapsed lung, but is doing okay. Please pray that he will get stronger each day.
The Tooleys have asked us to pray for Brooke’s sister and Kris’s sister. Kris’s sister is due to have a baby in about two weeks, and Brooke’s sister recently found out that she is expecting. Praise God for this great news! Please pray for health for everyone as these babies arrive.
Also with the Tooleys, we need to pray for Kris’s mom, Christy. She has been experiencing some numbness on her left side. Pray that they will discover what it is and that she will feel better very soon.
We need to continue to pray for our church’s work to find our new Youth Pastor. Lots of people have been working hard to make phone calls, send emails, and otherwise tell people about the position. Pray that God will help us to find exactly the person we need.
Lastly, I am headed to Chicago on Thursday for a conference. It’s a quick trip. I’ll be back home on Saturday evening. Please pray for my safe travel and for the other Nulls while I’m gone.
----------
I think that covers our prayers and praises for this week. Next week, we will begin our new book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. For those of you who ordered copies, I handed out most of them this morning. I have one here for the Hudsons. If you have the book, just read as much as you can for next week. I think we’ll plan to spend two weeks on it. Kris Tooley was kind enough to get a video for us. It was made in Amarillo when Don Piper (the author of the book) visited there. We’ll watch some of the video next week. Thanks, Kris!
That’s all for this afternoon, everyone. Dana and I hope that all of you have a great week.
Go Cowboys!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Hello, all! Well, my plan is to get this message written before the big Dallas Cowboy showdown at 3:00 p.m. Corbin is asleep and Dana’s shopping with Raegan (always a dangerous activity). We’ll see how much I get done!
First off, let’s say a big welcome to Heather Jenkins and Bernice Sheppard, who visited our class this morning. We were delighted to have you guys, Heather and Bernice! We hope that you will come back and see us again next Sunday. The jokes get better every week, I promise!
Next, I want to say thank you to Brian and Jill VanZee for bringing our donuts this morning. We appreciate it, VanZees! Next week, Brian and Amy are in charge. In case you don’t recognize him, feel free to introduce yourself to Brian. He’s the tall guy with brown hair.
CHRISTMAS PARTY UPDATE
I want to remind you again that our class Christmas party will take place on Friday, December 14th, at the Family Life Center. We will plan to have someone cater the event. Shelley B. is looking into some possibilities for us. Thanks, Shelley B.! Don’t forget to put the date on your calendar, everyone!
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
We have lots of prayers and praises today. First, please pray for Steve May’s dad. His name is Estol. He has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Please pray that he will get the treatments that he needs. Pray also for Steve and the entire May family.
Vince E. has asked that we continue to pray for his friends Cole and Iva. Iva will be having surgery this week. Pray that it will go well. Pray, also, for Cole as he looks after the two little ones.
We need to continue to pray for Brian VanZee’s aunt. Her surgery is this week as well. Please pray that the surgery will go well. Pray that God will support her and her family during this difficult time.
Teresa Sullivan’s dad will have his gastric by-pass surgery this Tuesday. Please pray for strength for Teresa’s dad and for the entire family. Pray that the surgery will be successful and that it will add time to his life.
Erica Sullivan has asked that we pray for her stepfather, Dave. He has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Please pray that he responds to his treatments.
Gracyn Goolsby has been sick for several days. Please pray that she will have a healthier week at school this week.
Jenny Jantz has asked that we pray for her father, Roy. He has suffered from heart disease for many years. He had a scare last night, but appears to be doing okay. Please pray for his health. Pray, also, for Jenny’s dad, her mom, and her grandmother as they travel to Waco next week. We’ll get to see them in class (tame jokes next week!). Pray for their safe travel.
Praise God for the great story about Gabe Dominguez in the paper! Gabe, we are very proud of your work. Your story is quite inspirational. Keep up the great work! For those of you who didn’t read the story, click here (the link only works in the blog). If you can, come see us soon, Gabe!
We need to continue to pray for Landry Reed, the little boy who has been having so much difficulty with antibiotics. He and his parents will travel to Cook’s in Houston this week.
Jeff Fadal has asked that we pray for their neighbors who just had a baby. The baby has been having some difficulties, so please pray for his health.
The big day is almost here for David and Ashlee McCrary! Please pray that the birth will go well. As soon as I get information (and pictures!), I’ll post it to the blog.
Mary Erickson brought a praise this morning that her friend Kelly had a baby this week. His name is Zachary Smith. He was born with a collapsed lung, but is doing okay. Please pray that he will get stronger each day.
The Tooleys have asked us to pray for Brooke’s sister and Kris’s sister. Kris’s sister is due to have a baby in about two weeks, and Brooke’s sister recently found out that she is expecting. Praise God for this great news! Please pray for health for everyone as these babies arrive.
Also with the Tooleys, we need to pray for Kris’s mom, Christy. She has been experiencing some numbness on her left side. Pray that they will discover what it is and that she will feel better very soon.
We need to continue to pray for our church’s work to find our new Youth Pastor. Lots of people have been working hard to make phone calls, send emails, and otherwise tell people about the position. Pray that God will help us to find exactly the person we need.
Lastly, I am headed to Chicago on Thursday for a conference. It’s a quick trip. I’ll be back home on Saturday evening. Please pray for my safe travel and for the other Nulls while I’m gone.
----------
I think that covers our prayers and praises for this week. Next week, we will begin our new book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. For those of you who ordered copies, I handed out most of them this morning. I have one here for the Hudsons. If you have the book, just read as much as you can for next week. I think we’ll plan to spend two weeks on it. Kris Tooley was kind enough to get a video for us. It was made in Amarillo when Don Piper (the author of the book) visited there. We’ll watch some of the video next week. Thanks, Kris!
That’s all for this afternoon, everyone. Dana and I hope that all of you have a great week.
Go Cowboys!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Heart at Work--Article for this Sunday (14th)
Friends:
Good afternoon, all! I hope the week is going well for all of you. I have run across an article that I think will make for good discussion on Sunday morning. The file is attached. The article is about the changing nature of “professionalism” in our age. I found it quite interesting. We’ll plan to discuss it this Sunday. Read it if you have time. I also have posted the document (as a PDF file) to the right of this message in the blog. I will bring copies on Sunday.
For those of you who wanted them, I have received the copies of 90 Minutes in Heaven. We’ll plan to start that book on Sunday, the 21st. I’ll distribute them this Sunday.
Dana and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Wes
Good afternoon, all! I hope the week is going well for all of you. I have run across an article that I think will make for good discussion on Sunday morning. The file is attached. The article is about the changing nature of “professionalism” in our age. I found it quite interesting. We’ll plan to discuss it this Sunday. Read it if you have time. I also have posted the document (as a PDF file) to the right of this message in the blog. I will bring copies on Sunday.
For those of you who wanted them, I have received the copies of 90 Minutes in Heaven. We’ll plan to start that book on Sunday, the 21st. I’ll distribute them this Sunday.
Dana and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
Wes
Monday, October 8, 2007
More on the Move Over Saga: Gathering Information
Well, I talked with Mr. Crow, the Town Marshall of Westlake, today. If I wish to plead anything other than "guilty" or "no contest," I will need to drive to Fort Worth for a pre-trial hearing. At this hearing, I can request a trial, at which point I would have to drive to Fort Worth yet again. The "just pay the dang fine" option is sounding better all the time, but I'm not ready to give up just yet. I did, however, get a final price on the cost of this sucker--$293. Yep, that's right. I don't recommend getting a "Move Over Law" violation.
The good news is that I was told that the $93 court fee (which goes on top of the $200 citation) will not go up if I decide to go all the way and fight this deal. I'm not altogether confident of this fact, however. When I asked Mr. Crow if I would be charged any other fees if I decide to go to court, he said: "Wait just a minute. Hey Maude, will the court fee go up if this guy takes this one to court?". After about a minute, Mr. Crow came back on the line and said "The court administrator says that the $93 fee won't change if you go to court." Needless to say, this little conversation didn't leave me with all that much confidence in the trial process at the courthouse in good ol' Westlake, Texas.
Considering that two trips to Dallas will cost me about $80 to $90 in gas alone, the wise choice is probably to give up now, swallow my pride, and write the check. The only real reason to fight at this point would be to get the ticket cleared from my record. But I can't even remember when I got my last ticket. I think it was about 7 years ago. Mr. Crow did have some good information about how to get my driving record. Did you folks know that you can order your driving record on-line? It's pretty cool. I did it. Just click here. A complete history only costs about $12.
My driving record should come in the mail in about 5 days. I have until October 24th to make a decision on this deal. After I've had a chance to look at my record, I'll make a decision about whether or not to press on.
In the mean time, keep your eye out for cops pulled over on the side of the road! If you see one, the best thing to do is to put on your brakes. I think it's crazy that we have to slow down 20 mph. I think that part of the law makes things more dangerous rather than less. I'm the last guy who wants to put cops in danger, but I'm not sure that we're accomplishing that goal with this here law. The other option is to move over one lane, but traffic is usually so dang busy that moving over is impossible. I suggest slowing down gradually, if you can.
But beware of being the last car in a line of people who are passing a cop that has someone pulled over on the side of the road. Being the last car in line is not a good idea. And, oh yeah, beware of cops hiding behind one another in order to hand out some of these pricey little tickets.
Cheers,
Wes
The good news is that I was told that the $93 court fee (which goes on top of the $200 citation) will not go up if I decide to go all the way and fight this deal. I'm not altogether confident of this fact, however. When I asked Mr. Crow if I would be charged any other fees if I decide to go to court, he said: "Wait just a minute. Hey Maude, will the court fee go up if this guy takes this one to court?". After about a minute, Mr. Crow came back on the line and said "The court administrator says that the $93 fee won't change if you go to court." Needless to say, this little conversation didn't leave me with all that much confidence in the trial process at the courthouse in good ol' Westlake, Texas.
Considering that two trips to Dallas will cost me about $80 to $90 in gas alone, the wise choice is probably to give up now, swallow my pride, and write the check. The only real reason to fight at this point would be to get the ticket cleared from my record. But I can't even remember when I got my last ticket. I think it was about 7 years ago. Mr. Crow did have some good information about how to get my driving record. Did you folks know that you can order your driving record on-line? It's pretty cool. I did it. Just click here. A complete history only costs about $12.
My driving record should come in the mail in about 5 days. I have until October 24th to make a decision on this deal. After I've had a chance to look at my record, I'll make a decision about whether or not to press on.
In the mean time, keep your eye out for cops pulled over on the side of the road! If you see one, the best thing to do is to put on your brakes. I think it's crazy that we have to slow down 20 mph. I think that part of the law makes things more dangerous rather than less. I'm the last guy who wants to put cops in danger, but I'm not sure that we're accomplishing that goal with this here law. The other option is to move over one lane, but traffic is usually so dang busy that moving over is impossible. I suggest slowing down gradually, if you can.
But beware of being the last car in a line of people who are passing a cop that has someone pulled over on the side of the road. Being the last car in line is not a good idea. And, oh yeah, beware of cops hiding behind one another in order to hand out some of these pricey little tickets.
Cheers,
Wes
Sunday, October 7, 2007
News, Christmas Plans, Prayers, and More
Friends:
Good afternoon, all! Well, Mr. Corbin is still sacked out in the bedroom taking a nap. I think he had a pretty good morning, but we’ll see how he’s doing when he wakes up. Dana says she missed seeing all of you this morning!
We have lots of news and other items this afternoon, so let’s get to it. First off, thanks to Matt and Beth Ramsdell! They brought us our snacks this morning. We appreciate it, guys! Next week, we will welcome back the VanZees. They will bring our snacks as well. We look forward to seeing you and the snacks next Sunday, Brian and Jill!
IMPORTANT BENEFIT EVENT
Greg Hudson asked that I announce an important benefit event that will be taking place soon for Brian McDonough. I think several of you know the McDonough family. About three years ago, Brian was diagnosed with MS. They need our support to help them remodel their home so that Brian came make his way around in his wheelchair. In addition to prayer, we need to support the McDonough family with our gifts.
The Benefit Event will take place on Saturday, October 20th, at 12:30 p.m. at the Speegleville Pavilion. There will be activities for the kids, lunch, and an auction. Tickets are $12. You may purchase tickets from Connie Fraley in Room 113 at the church. You also can call the church and ask to speak to Connie. For more information about the event itself, contact Jessica Armstrong at 662-1558 or 855-9268. Thank you for considering attending this important event. Let’s also pray for the McDonough family.
VEGGIE TALES MOVIE NIGHT
Bring your kids Friday night to the FLC! A showing of the new Veggie Tales movie will take place this Friday, October 12th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. We have had a great time at these movie nights in the past. Us Nulls should be there, so we hope to see you there!
CHRISTMAS PARTY UPDATE
In case you missed it, we are scheduled to have our annual Christian Living Christmas Party on Friday, December 14th, at the Family Life Center. Please put this date on your calendar! We will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will go until approximately 9:00 p.m. We will have a “bounce house” on store for the kids. We also have a good line on a Santa. Matt Ramsdell is looking into that piece of the puzzle for us. Thanks, Matt! We need a tall Santa this year.
Also on the party front, I think we will plan to have it catered. We don’t plan to spend a great deal of money here, so we will be shopping around for a good deal. Shelley Buhner has kindly agreed to look into catering for us. Shelley, what about Captain Billy Whizzbang’s? Several people in class this morning said they enjoyed Captain Billy’s fajitas. Do you think you can get us a good deal on some Fajitas?! If so, we’d appreciate it! I also look forward to hearing what you find out from LaFiesta. Dana and I look forward to spending some time with all of you at the Christmas Party!
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
Let’s get to our prayers and praises. We have quite a few today. We need to pray for safe travel for the VanZees. They are in Austin today. Pray that they will have a good weekend and will make their way home safely this evening.
Also with the VanZees, we need to pray for Brian’s Aunt Faith. She will be having surgery soon. Her husband also is confined to a wheelchair following a terrible motorcycle accident about 5 years ago. Please pray for successful surgery for Faith and for her entire family as she recovers.
The Buhners are traveling this weekend for Tatum’s softball. Please pray for their safe travel.
Stefanie Bunting asked that we pray for the Baker family, especially for the two little Baker girls. This is the family whose mother died about two years ago. The husband was just recently arrested for the murder. This is a very tragic and sad story. Please pray that God will be a stabilizing force in the lives of these two girls.
Teresa Sullivan has asked that we pray for her father. He will be going in for gastric by-pass surgery soon. Please pray that the surgery will be successful and that he will be in better health as a result. Pray that his recovery will go well also.
Trey Schneider is headed on a business trip to London and Paris (that’s right!). Can you believe this?! Let’s be sure and pray for safe travel for Trey. Pray, also, for Cathy and their two little girls while Trey is out of town. Trey, be sure to take a tour of Notre Dame. I think you’ll be impressed. I suggest that you stand there, look up at the ceiling, and imagine how much the people who did that work loved God.
Robbie has asked that we pray for one of his student’s, Melissa. Pray that she will get the help she needs.
Barry Sullivan would like for us to pray for his Mamaw (sp.?). She will be moving into an assisted living facility soon. Pray that the transition will go well and that she will enjoy making new friends.
The McCrarys are due in just about two weeks! Please pray for Ashlee and David during these final days of pregnancy. Pray for continued strength and help for Ashlee and the baby. We’re praying for you guys, McCrarys! Bush’s Chicken is on the way!
Franci Rogers will be visiting with some folks this week about a new job opportunity. Please ask God to be with Robbie and Franci as they make decisions about what’s best for Franci.
Jeff Hookham’s 40! Yep, that’s right. Let’s thank God for 40 great years for Jeff. We’ll see if he’s any better as a fisherman now that he’s cracked 40. Something tells me that he won’t be.
Brian Nicholson’s grandma is not doing well. Please ask that God will be with her as she tries to get better.
Also on the Brian front, Brian is out of town this weekend (see him for details about the destination!). Please pray for his safe return home this evening (Brian, as I was pushing Brooke in the swing last night, she said “I miss my Da-da”—Feel guilty, yet?!).
Thanks for praying for Mr. Corbin. It looks as though he has some sort of flu illness. We had a rather sleepless night here at the Null home last night. Please pray that he will have a good week.
-------------
I think that takes care of our prayers and praises for this weekend. Next week, we will begin our new book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. For those of you who asked me to order you a copy of the book, I ordered them last Monday. They should be in sometime this week. If it’s too late in the week for me to distribute them, I may do a separate lesson next week and wait until the following week to start the book. I’d like to give folks a chance to read it before we discuss it. By the way, the Tooleys are getting a video about the book for us to watch. Any sign of the video, Kris and Brooke? Please let me know.
I believe that covers everything for this Sunday. As you can see, we have lots going on. In the middle of all this, I am also putting together my legal team to fight my “Move Over” ticket. I should find out more tomorrow when I call Mr. Crow, the Town Marshall in Westlake. He’s the guy who can give me more details about my options. If you want to follow this story and/or donate to my legal defense, check our blog site tomorrow evening and I will give you an update!
Dana and I hope that all of you have a great week. We look forward to seeing you next Sunday morning!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Good afternoon, all! Well, Mr. Corbin is still sacked out in the bedroom taking a nap. I think he had a pretty good morning, but we’ll see how he’s doing when he wakes up. Dana says she missed seeing all of you this morning!
We have lots of news and other items this afternoon, so let’s get to it. First off, thanks to Matt and Beth Ramsdell! They brought us our snacks this morning. We appreciate it, guys! Next week, we will welcome back the VanZees. They will bring our snacks as well. We look forward to seeing you and the snacks next Sunday, Brian and Jill!
IMPORTANT BENEFIT EVENT
Greg Hudson asked that I announce an important benefit event that will be taking place soon for Brian McDonough. I think several of you know the McDonough family. About three years ago, Brian was diagnosed with MS. They need our support to help them remodel their home so that Brian came make his way around in his wheelchair. In addition to prayer, we need to support the McDonough family with our gifts.
The Benefit Event will take place on Saturday, October 20th, at 12:30 p.m. at the Speegleville Pavilion. There will be activities for the kids, lunch, and an auction. Tickets are $12. You may purchase tickets from Connie Fraley in Room 113 at the church. You also can call the church and ask to speak to Connie. For more information about the event itself, contact Jessica Armstrong at 662-1558 or 855-9268. Thank you for considering attending this important event. Let’s also pray for the McDonough family.
VEGGIE TALES MOVIE NIGHT
Bring your kids Friday night to the FLC! A showing of the new Veggie Tales movie will take place this Friday, October 12th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. We have had a great time at these movie nights in the past. Us Nulls should be there, so we hope to see you there!
CHRISTMAS PARTY UPDATE
In case you missed it, we are scheduled to have our annual Christian Living Christmas Party on Friday, December 14th, at the Family Life Center. Please put this date on your calendar! We will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will go until approximately 9:00 p.m. We will have a “bounce house” on store for the kids. We also have a good line on a Santa. Matt Ramsdell is looking into that piece of the puzzle for us. Thanks, Matt! We need a tall Santa this year.
Also on the party front, I think we will plan to have it catered. We don’t plan to spend a great deal of money here, so we will be shopping around for a good deal. Shelley Buhner has kindly agreed to look into catering for us. Shelley, what about Captain Billy Whizzbang’s? Several people in class this morning said they enjoyed Captain Billy’s fajitas. Do you think you can get us a good deal on some Fajitas?! If so, we’d appreciate it! I also look forward to hearing what you find out from LaFiesta. Dana and I look forward to spending some time with all of you at the Christmas Party!
PRAYERS AND PRAISES
Let’s get to our prayers and praises. We have quite a few today. We need to pray for safe travel for the VanZees. They are in Austin today. Pray that they will have a good weekend and will make their way home safely this evening.
Also with the VanZees, we need to pray for Brian’s Aunt Faith. She will be having surgery soon. Her husband also is confined to a wheelchair following a terrible motorcycle accident about 5 years ago. Please pray for successful surgery for Faith and for her entire family as she recovers.
The Buhners are traveling this weekend for Tatum’s softball. Please pray for their safe travel.
Stefanie Bunting asked that we pray for the Baker family, especially for the two little Baker girls. This is the family whose mother died about two years ago. The husband was just recently arrested for the murder. This is a very tragic and sad story. Please pray that God will be a stabilizing force in the lives of these two girls.
Teresa Sullivan has asked that we pray for her father. He will be going in for gastric by-pass surgery soon. Please pray that the surgery will be successful and that he will be in better health as a result. Pray that his recovery will go well also.
Trey Schneider is headed on a business trip to London and Paris (that’s right!). Can you believe this?! Let’s be sure and pray for safe travel for Trey. Pray, also, for Cathy and their two little girls while Trey is out of town. Trey, be sure to take a tour of Notre Dame. I think you’ll be impressed. I suggest that you stand there, look up at the ceiling, and imagine how much the people who did that work loved God.
Robbie has asked that we pray for one of his student’s, Melissa. Pray that she will get the help she needs.
Barry Sullivan would like for us to pray for his Mamaw (sp.?). She will be moving into an assisted living facility soon. Pray that the transition will go well and that she will enjoy making new friends.
The McCrarys are due in just about two weeks! Please pray for Ashlee and David during these final days of pregnancy. Pray for continued strength and help for Ashlee and the baby. We’re praying for you guys, McCrarys! Bush’s Chicken is on the way!
Franci Rogers will be visiting with some folks this week about a new job opportunity. Please ask God to be with Robbie and Franci as they make decisions about what’s best for Franci.
Jeff Hookham’s 40! Yep, that’s right. Let’s thank God for 40 great years for Jeff. We’ll see if he’s any better as a fisherman now that he’s cracked 40. Something tells me that he won’t be.
Brian Nicholson’s grandma is not doing well. Please ask that God will be with her as she tries to get better.
Also on the Brian front, Brian is out of town this weekend (see him for details about the destination!). Please pray for his safe return home this evening (Brian, as I was pushing Brooke in the swing last night, she said “I miss my Da-da”—Feel guilty, yet?!).
Thanks for praying for Mr. Corbin. It looks as though he has some sort of flu illness. We had a rather sleepless night here at the Null home last night. Please pray that he will have a good week.
-------------
I think that takes care of our prayers and praises for this weekend. Next week, we will begin our new book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. For those of you who asked me to order you a copy of the book, I ordered them last Monday. They should be in sometime this week. If it’s too late in the week for me to distribute them, I may do a separate lesson next week and wait until the following week to start the book. I’d like to give folks a chance to read it before we discuss it. By the way, the Tooleys are getting a video about the book for us to watch. Any sign of the video, Kris and Brooke? Please let me know.
I believe that covers everything for this Sunday. As you can see, we have lots going on. In the middle of all this, I am also putting together my legal team to fight my “Move Over” ticket. I should find out more tomorrow when I call Mr. Crow, the Town Marshall in Westlake. He’s the guy who can give me more details about my options. If you want to follow this story and/or donate to my legal defense, check our blog site tomorrow evening and I will give you an update!
Dana and I hope that all of you have a great week. We look forward to seeing you next Sunday morning!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Defense: Stage One
Okay, folks. For those of you who are interested, here's the plan for my defense. First of all, I will be calling Marshall Crow on Monday morning to request a pretrial hearing. Right now, I plan to defend myself. At the pretrial hearing, I will be requesting deferred adjudication. This means that, if I don't receive any other tickets for a year, this "Move Over Law" ticket will be dismissed. If I cannot get deferred adjudication, I will be requesting a trial. If that does not look positive, I may consider attending a defensive driving class, but, at this point, that is a last resort. If we go to trial, I will plan my defense after I see the video.
Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I have a great legal team already!
WN
P.S.--Lots of Cleveland Indians fans are happy here in Cleveland tonight!
Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I have a great legal team already!
WN
P.S.--Lots of Cleveland Indians fans are happy here in Cleveland tonight!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Move Over Laws and Other Nonsense-I Need Advice
Friends:
Hi from Cleveland. I've just found a new use for our blog. I need to vent some frustration. The story's a bit long, but here goes. Be patient. I need advice from some of you.
On my way to catch a late afternoon flight from DFW to Cleveland, I decided to stop by the Apple store in Southlake. I've been spying this fancy new little iPhone for a couple of months now, and I thought I'd take the extra time I had to ask a few questions of the Apple folk in Southlake. Plus, I teach lots of students from Southlake and I've never seen the place. I thought seeing the town might be a good idea.
Well, as I'm innocently driving along Highway 114 north of Ft. Worth, I'm suddenly pulled over for absolutely no reason. I was not speeding. In fact, I was going probably ten miles under the speed limit. I was being the model of a law-abiding citizen. I have my insurance up-to-date, I have my inspections up-to-date, I have my driver's license up-to-date, and I was proudly wearing my seatbelt. Highway 114 was busy and I was in no hurry, so I had no reason to speed. Well, Officer Wes (gotta love the name) Horton decided to pull me over and give me a citation for something called a "Move Over Law" violation. Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about, nor do I know now. I still cannot understand why I was pulled over. The interesting thing is that, while I was pulled over for nearly 20 minutes (!), another cop on a motorcycle pulled over right in front of my truck and stopped. He was hiding. After about two minutes, he peeled out to pull over some other unsuspecting motorist who apparently also was violating this ambiguous "Move Over Law". I immediately smelled something fishy, and it wasn't the Bass Pro Shop nearby. Well, after what seemed like over an hour, Officer Horton arrived back at my door and filled out the citation (what was he doing back at his car?). I then asked him what I needed to do in order to challenge the ticket. He said I needed to call the number on top of the ticket. I signed the ticket--not admitting guilt, mind you--and drove off.
About 1/2 mile up the road, I pulled over and called the number at the top of the ticket. The number eventually got me to Mr. Crow, the Town Marshall of Westlake (yes, there is a Westlake north of Ft. Worth, also). Mr. Crow is a very nice man. I learned from him that this "Move Over" law captured quite a bit of media attention in the Dallas area about a year ago when it was first instituted (alas, nothing in Waco). I, however, have never heard of this thing. Mr. Crow then gave me the number for Lt. Robert Enckausen with the Keller police department. It turns out that Westlake, the town I was in I guess, has no police department. Folks in Westlake contract their police work with cops from Keller. Is anyone confused yet? Me, too. Well, I left a message for Lt. Enckhausen at the Keller police department. He did not return my call, but a gentlemen named Corporal Dudley did. Corporal Dudley attempted to explain the "Move Over Law" to me, but, being the uneducated chap that I am, I still don't understand.
Well, I guess that's enough of the details. To make a long-story short, I will be retaining legal counsel and battling this sucker to the death. There is a principle at stake here, and I am on the side of justice. I am more than happy to abide by the law when it is clear, when it is purposeful, and when I know what it is (insert relevant scripture here; my Bible is in Hewitt). I also will not be the victim of some kind of game by two cops trying to meet a ticket quota. On top of everything else, nobody seems to know what the fine is for this here citation. I did get something from Mr. Crow, the Westlake Town Marshall. He guessed $290. My lovely wife did better than that, and she has a full-time job that does not entail keeping up with ticket costs. Dana did a Google search which uncovered that the maximum fine is $200. I guess Mr. Crow was adding in some additional bucks for court fees. What irony, I could almost have an iPhone for $200.
I tell all of you this because I need to draw upon the expertise in our class to fight this sucker. I'm following a page from the Steve May playbook here. Steve has been successful at challenging tickets. I also know that my friend Jeff Fadal has likely given a few of these here tickets, so maybe Jeff has some insider information. On top of that, my friend Barry Sullivan no doubt has a view of this matter from the perspective of a city manager. So, if you have advice, please send it along. I would appreciate your thoughts. I also am looking for the best "Move Over Law" lawyer in the country, one who knows everything about this newly-created rule, which apparently confuses everyone.
I hope all of you had a better Wednesday than me.
Hugs and kisses,
Dr. J. W. Null
P.S.--I hope this email gets subpoenaed in court.
Hi from Cleveland. I've just found a new use for our blog. I need to vent some frustration. The story's a bit long, but here goes. Be patient. I need advice from some of you.
On my way to catch a late afternoon flight from DFW to Cleveland, I decided to stop by the Apple store in Southlake. I've been spying this fancy new little iPhone for a couple of months now, and I thought I'd take the extra time I had to ask a few questions of the Apple folk in Southlake. Plus, I teach lots of students from Southlake and I've never seen the place. I thought seeing the town might be a good idea.
Well, as I'm innocently driving along Highway 114 north of Ft. Worth, I'm suddenly pulled over for absolutely no reason. I was not speeding. In fact, I was going probably ten miles under the speed limit. I was being the model of a law-abiding citizen. I have my insurance up-to-date, I have my inspections up-to-date, I have my driver's license up-to-date, and I was proudly wearing my seatbelt. Highway 114 was busy and I was in no hurry, so I had no reason to speed. Well, Officer Wes (gotta love the name) Horton decided to pull me over and give me a citation for something called a "Move Over Law" violation. Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about, nor do I know now. I still cannot understand why I was pulled over. The interesting thing is that, while I was pulled over for nearly 20 minutes (!), another cop on a motorcycle pulled over right in front of my truck and stopped. He was hiding. After about two minutes, he peeled out to pull over some other unsuspecting motorist who apparently also was violating this ambiguous "Move Over Law". I immediately smelled something fishy, and it wasn't the Bass Pro Shop nearby. Well, after what seemed like over an hour, Officer Horton arrived back at my door and filled out the citation (what was he doing back at his car?). I then asked him what I needed to do in order to challenge the ticket. He said I needed to call the number on top of the ticket. I signed the ticket--not admitting guilt, mind you--and drove off.
About 1/2 mile up the road, I pulled over and called the number at the top of the ticket. The number eventually got me to Mr. Crow, the Town Marshall of Westlake (yes, there is a Westlake north of Ft. Worth, also). Mr. Crow is a very nice man. I learned from him that this "Move Over" law captured quite a bit of media attention in the Dallas area about a year ago when it was first instituted (alas, nothing in Waco). I, however, have never heard of this thing. Mr. Crow then gave me the number for Lt. Robert Enckausen with the Keller police department. It turns out that Westlake, the town I was in I guess, has no police department. Folks in Westlake contract their police work with cops from Keller. Is anyone confused yet? Me, too. Well, I left a message for Lt. Enckhausen at the Keller police department. He did not return my call, but a gentlemen named Corporal Dudley did. Corporal Dudley attempted to explain the "Move Over Law" to me, but, being the uneducated chap that I am, I still don't understand.
Well, I guess that's enough of the details. To make a long-story short, I will be retaining legal counsel and battling this sucker to the death. There is a principle at stake here, and I am on the side of justice. I am more than happy to abide by the law when it is clear, when it is purposeful, and when I know what it is (insert relevant scripture here; my Bible is in Hewitt). I also will not be the victim of some kind of game by two cops trying to meet a ticket quota. On top of everything else, nobody seems to know what the fine is for this here citation. I did get something from Mr. Crow, the Westlake Town Marshall. He guessed $290. My lovely wife did better than that, and she has a full-time job that does not entail keeping up with ticket costs. Dana did a Google search which uncovered that the maximum fine is $200. I guess Mr. Crow was adding in some additional bucks for court fees. What irony, I could almost have an iPhone for $200.
I tell all of you this because I need to draw upon the expertise in our class to fight this sucker. I'm following a page from the Steve May playbook here. Steve has been successful at challenging tickets. I also know that my friend Jeff Fadal has likely given a few of these here tickets, so maybe Jeff has some insider information. On top of that, my friend Barry Sullivan no doubt has a view of this matter from the perspective of a city manager. So, if you have advice, please send it along. I would appreciate your thoughts. I also am looking for the best "Move Over Law" lawyer in the country, one who knows everything about this newly-created rule, which apparently confuses everyone.
I hope all of you had a better Wednesday than me.
Hugs and kisses,
Dr. J. W. Null
P.S.--I hope this email gets subpoenaed in court.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Message from Jill VanZee
I would like to send out a plea regarding the donation of maternity clothes for Generations Adoptions. This is the agency Brian and I are going through and with over 24 placements in their first two and a half years of service it is obvious they are a great agency providing a blessing to many birthmothers who have made such a selfless decision in their lives. The stories our caseworker has shared with us regarding some of their previous birthmothers is heart wrenching. It's not so hard to believe that there are women or even girls who find themselves pregnant and unsure of what they want or need to do but to be in that situation and in dire need of the bare necessities it's makes it a lot harder to comprehend. These birthmothers need the support not just of the agency but of the community. Wanting a child and not able to have one on our own it seems almost impossible to imagine someone willing to place their child in another families arms. If you haven't parted with some gently worn maternity clothing please look in the closet and see what you could part with. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to make the difference for a very special cause.
Jill VanZee
Jill VanZee
Monday, October 1, 2007
Come One, Come All--The Annual Christmas Party!
Friends:
Well, believe it or not, the time has come for us to plan our annual class Christmas Party. Yep, that's right; December is not far away.
The church has been kind enough to let us use the Family Life Center on Friday, December 14th. The event will begin at 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. and will probably end around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. We can make further plans as the date draws near.
At this point, however, I would like for all of you to put this date on your calendars. Rumor has it that Santa Claus himself may make an appearance. I also have heard that we may put some money together and rent one of those big bouncy house things so that the kids can have a good time. In all of the previous years since our class began, we have held the annual Christmas party at the Null home, but, alas, the square footage in the Null home has not kept pace with the size of our class.
This event will be a great time for us to fellowship. More importantly, it will give us time to praise God together for the birth of our Lord and Savior. More planning to come next Sunday!
God bless,
Wes and Dana
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
