Eric's Blog

Zune and Ipod for Sale - Make Me an Offer

Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player (Black)

I have a 80G Zune for sale. It is in like new condition and comes with a very nice Belkin clip case. It retailed for $250 without the case. I am asking $175 including the case.

80 GB digital media player stores up to 20,000 songs, 25,000 pictures or 250 hours of video

Features wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing so you can swap tracks and other media

Big, bright, 3.2-inch LCD color screen

Compatible with Zune Marketplace for media downloads and subscription services

Automatically imports your existing music, pictures, and videos from iTunes and Windows Media Player in a variety of formats 
 
 
   
Apple iPod 4 GB mini M9160LL/A (Silver) OLD MODEL

4 GB model holds up to 1,000 songs; supports MP3, AAC, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible (6), and AIFF formats

Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available

1.67 inch (diagonal) backlit screen displays full song names and more

More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)

Comes with earbud headphones, belt clip, AC adapter, FireWire cable, and USB 2.0 cable

The cheapest price on Amazon is $58. This one is in like new condition and the price is $50.

If you are interested in either one of these please email me or leave a comment.

The Blog is Back

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged. I took time off during the summer for a little sabbatical and had intended to start back up after the summer. I kept thinking about how to start back blogging and one thing lead to another and here we are.

I don't plan on blogging every day but at least several times a week. I appreciate all the faithful reading and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Time Change

Don't forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Thompson's.  We hope you had a wonderful time with family and friends and were able to enjoy the day!  We had a great Christmas - the kids were so much fun.  By the time we got to Nana and Papa's tonight, Katie knew exactly what was going on and when someone called her name she would come running! 

Last night at Grandmomma and Granddad's all the grandkids did something - Joshua read the Christmas story, Elizabeth sang Silent night, Katie smiled, and the boys, well, Matthew and Seth said their scripture.  They had each learned John 3:16 so they stood side by side and attempted to recite it while fussing with each other.  It was the funniest thing - we will try to get the video up for you to see.  There is nothing like a 3 and 4 year old fussing while repeating "For God so loved..."  Oh and Seth sang Go Tell It On The Mountain.  Which was great.

This was the first year without my Grandma Mildred.  She died this past August.  I took extra time the past two days to not only remember the wonderful times that I have had in past Christmases but to look around and count the blessings that I have this Christmas.   You are all part of the blessings that we count.  We love you and look forward to greater things from God in 2009.

How to Go to the Next Level

Here is a personal growth and ministry assignment our staff is currently working on. If you will take the time to answer these questions and act on them you and your ministry will grow. First answer the following questions. Keep praying and thinking until you come up with the required amount for your list. The tenth one you list may be the most important!

 

What are the 10 things you need to do personally to go to your next level in 2009?

What are the 5 things you need to do or have happen in your ministry for it to go to the next level?

Now, pray and think. Then number the 10 in order of priority. #1 most important and so on ... Do the same thing with the 5 items on your ministry list. Take your top 3 on your personal list and write down at least one action point. Take the #1 priority on your ministry list and write down at least one action point.

Next, start work immediately on your action points for your personal and ministry list.

When you complete your action points move to the next item on your list.

 

Find someone to do this with you and hold each other accountable. Share your list with each other. It is important that you have an accountability partner to help you follow through on your list.

Be open and honest with yourself and about your ministry. It’s your time to go to the next level. Plan and prepare now for it to happen.

A Simple Sunday Morning Prayer

Acts 16:13-15

13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us. NIV

As I was reading this passage last Saturday night the last part of verse 14 really jumped out at me..."The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message". As a pastor this is what I desire for myself and everyone who attends our services. We want God to open the hearts of unbelievers but God has "next steps" for us too and we need to have our hearts open every Sunday so that we will respond to what God speaks to us.

So here is a simply prayer to pray on your way to church, before the service starts, and went the pastor begins the call to respond to the message..."Lord, open hearts to respond to the pastor's message". What would happen if we all sincerely prayed that on Sunday morning. What a difference it would make if all the leaders, members, and attenders prayed, "Lord, open our hearts to respond to your Word today. Open our hearts to respond to the pastor's message".

This prayer speaks of humility, openness, and expectation. Isn't that the way we should approach God's Word? Start praying this prayer today and pray it with fervency on Sunday mornings.

Thanks Coach Tommy Bowden

As you probable know by now Clemson University and coach Bowden parted ways on Monday, October 13th. We will miss you coach. I want to thank you for a few things:

Thank you for your faithfulness and commitment.

Thank you for leading with integrity.

Thank you for instilling character in your players.

Thank you for recruiting and raising the talent level of our football players.

Thank you for beating south carolina 7 out of 9 times!!!

Please forgive the brainless and heartless people who have said stupid things on the radio about you and put insensitive signs in your yard. They are not what Clemson is about.

Clemson is about:

Fun and Family

Excitment and Excellence

Passion and Persistence

Character and Commitment.

That's what we need to remember and that's the message we need to send to our recruits.

Thanks again coach and while you are still in the area come visit us at New Life.

Blog Time

I wanted to let you know why the blogs have been slow the last three weeks. Three weeks ago my wife's grandmother passed away so my priorities were with my family.

Two weeks ago I had massive training and home work to complete. We are changing over to an on-line database (I will blog about this later) and I had over a dozen training classes to complete along with entering information and setting up our ministry on-line. I had to really work hard two weeks ago to get done as much as possible because...

Last week I went on vacation with my family to Myrtle Beach. We have several BIG and exciting project going on and they are all winding down. These have taken up a lot of my time but this week I plan on getting back to a more routine blogging schedule. Please pray for me and New Life as we complete these projects. Thanks!

Alisha's Grandmother

Late Tuesday night, Alisha's grandma, Brenda Maw's mother, had a massive heart attack.  The EMS were able to get a faint heartbeat and so she was taken to the ER where she was admitted into ICU.  Wednesday she was given a Cat Scan where it was determined that there was no brain activity so the family decided late Wednesday afternoon that they would take her off the ventilation machine.  The plan was that they (the nurses) would begin a morphine drip and that slowly they would stop the medication that was keeping her blood pressure up and slowly take her off the ventilator. 

What actually happened was that Wednesday at 7 the family gathered in her room and began to sing some of her favorite hymns and prayed that God would take her home, and He did. At 7:20, without medical interference, Mildred Fricks, Greatma to Seth and Katie, went to be with the Lord.

Please pray for Alisha, Brenda and Paul Maw, Papa Charlie and the entire family as they go through the grieving and healing process.

Update

Guest Blogger: Alisha Thompson

First I want to thank everyone that has written with encouragement and prayers over the last few days.  Your words have meant more to me than I can express.  It is amazing how much words can mean, even from those of you I have never met - thank you for taking the time to leave a message for me and my family. 

Tonight we told Seth (our 3 year old) that there was no "baby in mommy's belly" and it was so sad.  He said "but I was so happy, I wanted a baby" and "what happened."  We talked about it for a little while and he said he was "sad and a little angry that we wouldn't be having a baby."  We asked him if he had any questions, and he thought about it for a minute and said "yes, I have questions in my heart." So of course, we asked him what about...he said "dinosaurs and Wow, Wow Wubzy!"  Not exactly what we were thinking but so typical for a 3 year old.  He played for a minute then came and gave me a sweet hug and said that he was sorry about the baby.  He asked me as I was putting him to bed if I was sad and I said that I was and he told me "that he was sad and would be for a while."  I may not have all the quotes exactly right but this was such a hard ending to an otherwise good day.

I went to the doctor today and the good news is I do not have to have the D&C.  Dr. Nordeen performed an ultrasound and said that I had actually miscarried yesterday and that there was no need for the surgery.  I can't even begin to tell you what a weight was lifted off my shoulders.  I didn't even realize that I was so stressed about the D&C until it was not going to happen.

So, Dr. Nordeen said that I will go back in two weeks and have my blood tested and if the hormones are gone out of my system and the pregnancy test comes back negative, then he is giving me a clean bill of health.  He asked that I wait at least 2 full cycles before Eric and I try again...since we weren't trying in the first place...we will definitely not have a problem waiting.  :)

Before I go, I want to share with you this song that has really meant alot to me over the past week. It's from Isreal Houghton and New Breed called "Without Your Grace" 

"Where would I be without Your grace, Carrying me, in every season.

Where I would I without Your grace, You came to my rescue and I want to thank You for Your grace...." 

This is what God has been doing in my life this week - He has carried me, rescued me and given me grace in every moment of the days.  I'll probably sing it in the next few weeks because it is so powerful.  The chorus says "grace to restore, grace to redeem, grace that releases me to worship, grace that rebuilds visions and dreams, grace that releases miracles..." (something like that anyway!)

I have learned that there truly is nothing like the grace of God - thank you for your continued prayers.  I love you...Alisha