Miss Houstong County 2012

This past Saturday (2/25) I wound up spending the majority of the day at the Dothan Civic Center. I was only expecting to spend a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening. But, being the AWESOME husband that I am I spent the day helping out with the Houston County pageants. I cannot say that it was a "thrill of a lifetime" because it was quite boring at times. However there were just enough bright spots for it not to be a totally wasted day. One of the bright spots was having my picture made with Miss Houston County 2012, Whitney Devane. The neat thing about this picture is that I did not know that she was behind me. I was out on stage getting ready to take things down so I could go eat. Nancy (the wife) was just snapping away. She called my name, pointed the camera and took a picture. I was tired and really was not into having my picture taken so I just gave it a half-smile. Little did I know that the new Miss Houston County was sneaking up behind me (such a camera hog). It is now cataloged as one one my favorite pictures

 I am looking for 3 people to be part of my Scale Back Alabama team. Check out the information at http://scalebackalabama.com/.

You must be willing to commit to the team for the duration of the competition and in need of loosing at least 10 pounds.
Email me at russell@thejoyfm.com if you are interested. Please include some biographical information.  Make sure that you use the link above and read all of the information carefully before making any decision.

We have to weigh in by Friday, January 27th.

The Christmas Tree

• Christmas trees have been sold commercially in the United States since about 1850.
• Until fairly recently, all Christmas trees came from the forest.
• In 2002, Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, New York, and Virginia were the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon was the leading producer of Christmas trees – 6.5 million in 2002.
• The best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, balsam fir and white pine.
• More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre. On an average 1,000-1,500 of these trees will survive. In the North, maybe, 750 trees will remain. Almost all trees require shearing to attain the Christmas tree shape. At six to seven feet, trees are ready for harvest. It takes six to ten years of fighting heavy rain, wind, hail and drought to get a mature tree.
• In the United States, there are more than 21, 000 Christmas tree growers.
• In the United States, there are around a half billion Real Christmas Trees growing on U.S. farms.
• In the United States, there are more than 12,000 cut-your-own farms. 

Would you believe that there is a Christmas tree at the Brooks house. It's not that we have anything against Christmas trees, but it is just not something that we do on a regular basis during the Christmas season. This year Caleb told us that he wanted us to have a Christmas tree. Not a fake 3 foot tall one, but a live tree. So, Nancy found one on sale!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sharathon Is Rolling On

This past Wednesday we kicked-off Sharathon.  This is one of two weeks out of the year we set aside to raise the operational budget for the ministry.  His Radio, 94.3 is a listener supported, non-profit radio ministry.  The way that we stay on the air is through gifts of support from our listeners.  Is that you?

CLICK HERE to listen live.

The average gift that comes into His Radio, 94.3 is $30 a month.  So, we created a special category for those givers: More Than Music Mission Partners (MMMP).  You can find out more about becoming an MMMP by clicking HERE.
If you are big into categories or groups let me tell you about the other category or group that supports His Radio, 94.3: Those who give the best gift that they can.  This is a very diverse group.  Not everyone who gives to His Radio, 94.3 gives $30 a month, some give $10 a month, some $40 a month, some give one-time gifts ranging from the change in their piggy bank to $2500 in honor of their children.  I don't know what your situation is, so I ask that you pray about how or if God would have you support the ministry of His Radio, 94.3.

By the way, if you prefer not to make a gift over the Internet you can call 1-800-656-0111 and make your gift over the phone.

newtondailynews.com | A foot above

An article about an amazing young man who qualified for the US Olympic Archery Team. By the way, he has no arms. CLICK HERE
What is your excuse? (I ask that of myself as well.)

State Champion DHS Tigers

Some of the State Champion Lady Tigers stopped by and talked about their softball championship. Take a Listen.

Not Fun At The Hospital

Unfortunately I have spent a lot of time in the hospital.  Starting with the first couple of days of my life and most recently visiting my dad as he recovered from surgery.  Most of that time has not been too much fun.  One hospital visit that I remember was when I had my tonsils taken out.  Back then you had to stay in the hospital for like a week or so, now days you don't even have to go to the hospital.  They just take them out in a really clean building with uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room.  I guess what made my experience seem a little more enjoyable was not the big rubber sausage thing filled with ice that they placed on my throat.  It was not the popsicles, which, by the way, I seem to remember they only gave me a half sicle at a time.  It was that I got a flashlight.  Not just a regular flashlight.  This was a red flashlight.  (Mom and Dad may still have it somewhere - an antique by now)  Do you know how much fun you can have with a flashlight when you are in the hospital?  Shining it in the nurses faces when they come in the room every eight minutes when you are supposed to be resting.  Making scary faces, shining it through my hand to look at the bones.  I even tried to see if it would shine through my head.  IT DID NOT.  Just a simple gift of a flashlight, something that has remained in my memory for the past 40 years or so.
Putting a smile on a child's face and creating a happy memory is what the Sugar Plum Shop is all about at the Birmingham Children's Hospital.  Here is how the hospital describes the Sugar Plum Shop:
"The Sugar Plum Shop is filled with a wide range of age-appropriate toys for babies to teenagers that have been donated by supporters from across the state. Parents of currently hospitalized patients are invited to select toys for their children, including siblings. Parents can also enjoy refreshments in the
Sugar Plum Shop hospitality room while their gifts are being wrapped. All
gifts, wrapping and refreshments are provided free of charge to the families."
You can be part of this.  His Radio, 94.3 is collecting items for the Sugar Plum Shop.   Details are here - http://bit.ly/hWd2fp
Something as simple as a flashlight made a difference in my hospital stay, thanks to someone who cared.  It is exciting to think about what type of impact that your gift will make.


PEACE!
Russ