Today we read “The Squire and the Scroll”, by Jennie Bishop and paintings by Preston McDaniels. We sing “This Little Light of Mine” and “Thy Word”.
Please send your requests and suggestions for songs and stories and any questions or comments to richie.anderson@alvinwestsidechurch.com.
Westside Church of Christ:
http://alvinwestsidechurch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WestsideChurchofChristAlvinTX
http://www.youtube.com/WestsideChurchofChrist
My Etsy store still has the same four photos, but I changed them from digital downloads to 8×10 prints. The store got a lot of views very quickly, but no sales on the downloads. I can’t complain, I’m not sure that I would want to buy a JPEG file either, I’d rather have a print that has been signed by the artist.
Have you been successful in selling your prints? Can you share some pointers and take aways? Have you sold any other form of artwork online? Are you successful in selling on Etsy in general? What has made you successful?
Thanks everyone, have a good one!
Actually, today isn’t “Richie Reads”, it’s “Lilly Reads”. Lilly is from one of our families at Westside Church of Christ, and she did a great job! Thank you Lilly.
Today we read “Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse”, by Kevin Henkes. We sing “I’ve got the Joy”.
Please send your requests and suggestions for songs and stories and any questions or comments to richie.anderson@alvinwestsidechurch.com.
Westside Church of Christ:
http://alvinwestsidechurch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WestsideChurchofChristAlvinTX
http://www.youtube.com/WestsideChurchofChrist
Richie:
https://richieanderson.net/
https://www.facebook.com/richie.anderson.9862/
This has been a tough few weeks for everyone! Let’s try to learn something from it.
Today we read “If Jesus Came to Visit Me”, by Jill Roman Lord and illustrated by Renee Graef. We sing “Jesus Loves Me” and “We Will Glorify”.
Please send your requests and suggestions for songs and stories and any questions or comments to richie.anderson@alvinwestsidechurch.com.
Westside Church of Christ:
http://alvinwestsidechurch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WestsideChurchofChristAlvinTX
http://www.youtube.com/WestsideChurchofChrist
Richie:
https://richieanderson.net/
https://www.facebook.com/richie.anderson.9862/
I used to be really into photography. Like, I wanted to go to college for fine art and make a living shooting portraits, weddings, and selling landscapes. But, as life goes things change. But, I have been doing a lot of video work in my ministry while we haven’t been able to meet in person due to COVID-19 measures, and it has sparked my interest again.
I’d like to do some free sessions with a few families and individuals to get back into the swing of things. My overall goal is to have fun, but help while I’m doing that. Since photography isn’t my main income source, I’d like to keep costs low for families who can’t afford a high end photographer. Also to help young or new professionals with headshots, or maybe new makeup artists with their first few shoots.
I’m also looking into selling some of my better landscape and scenery photos. I started an Etsy shop to explore this possibility. Right now I’m only offering digital downloads on three images until I find a print service I trust and that is affordable but good quality. And shipping, I have no idea how to handle shipping.
If you have a few minutes, please take a look at the Etsy shop, https://richieandersonphoto.etsy.com. And if you have any recommendations on a printer, I’d like to hear about it. And any help on shipping would be welcome!
Since our congregation hasn’t been able to meet because of the social distancing suggestions, we have been recording and posting our worship services on YouTube. I also started recording videos for our kiddos who aren’t able to go to their Bible classes. We’ll sing a song or two, read a story, make a very light application, and close with a prayer. Each video has gotten better as I learn more about videography, I may have taken a step backwards once or twice, but forward mostly.
I hope these are useful for you and your families in these strange times of social distancing, and I pray you all stay healthy.
Have you even been so busy that you just don’t know what do next? Maybe you have so much to do on your list, you just shutdown and don’t do any of it. Ever felt overwhelmed? Anxious? Can’t catch your breath? You know, other things…
I have, and I’m feeling that right now. When I teach my youth group or preach I often remind people that everything I teach is something that I need to hear or has been on my heart. This blog is no different. The burdens for me right now are: school, big events for the church and youth group, health insurance (I’m getting out of the Air Force and Tricare is going away), our vehicles need some work, and a few other more private matters.
Here are some scriptures that I have been thinking on and praying about today.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. (Psalms 55:22)
fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
And this song:
What are burdens you are carrying today? I’ll be happy to pray for you and I’d appreciate your prayers for me.
I came across this while reading for a class this week:
“I do not require my clients to be virtuous in order to continue in therapy. There would be few clients and few therapists if the standard of full moral integrity was imposed on all of us.” (Doherty, 1995)
That’s comforting, right? I mean, the reason most people seek counseling is because they are having trouble with their values, feeling, emotions, etc. So it makes sense that a counselor wouldn’t kick a client out because they’re not perfect! But the author also says there wouldn’t be many counselors either, if they were expected to be perfect. Hmm…
The church is like that… right? It should be. Could you imagine what it would be like if we had to be perfect in order to be a part of God’s family? I think sometimes we expect perfection, and we should most definitely try our best, but we’re just not. We need to stop expecting perfection out of imperfect people who just want to come worship God and have a church family to be a part of. This also goes for ministers, teachers, elders, and deacons… no person in the church, no one on this planet is perfect.
One big difference in the church and a counseling practice, is our Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6) is perfect! But the same as an earthly counselor, he doesn’t expect us to be perfect, he understands us (Hebrews 2:17, 4:15). This isn’t an excuse to not strive to be perfect, to be like Jesus, what it is though is love. He loves us even though we’re not perfect. We need to love each other, even though we’re not perfect.
Doherty, W. J. (1995). Soul searching: why psychotherapy must promote moral responsibility.
If you’re anything like me, you have some trouble focusing on the current task at hand. I have been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, just in case you’ve never heard of it), but I wasn’t diagnosed until my mid 30s. It was great to finally have an idea of why I had trouble finishing anything I started. It could be a household project, writing a blog post, schoolwork, work-work, etc. Pretty much anything I did, except for reading a book or watching a movie/tv would get left undone. Those only get done due to hyper-focusing, another trait of ADHD.
But you have a college degree and are working on your master’s! How can you have ADHD and be successful in school? I have a few tools in my toolbox I’ll share with you. Even though I have these tools, and they do work very well for me, I often forget to use them. Here they are (I’m not sponsored in any way by these companies).
The Pomodoro Technique is an interval time management method. It was created by Francesco Cirillo. Pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian after the tomato shaped kitchen timer used as its icon.
Basically you work on a task for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. After four sets of work, you take a longer 15 minute break. Then continue on until your task is complete. Or its lunch time. Or its time to go home…
I use the Pomodoro Timer Lite app for Android.
Brain.fm has several tools you can use, the one I use the most is focus music. There are others like sleep, meditation, relax, etc. We’ll get to some of those in a future blog post.
There is science behind how this all works, I think I have a handle on it, but here is a link to their own explanation of it all. Basically the music has an underlying rhythm that your brain attunes to and reacts in kind. So listening to the focus station gets you focused. I find that in myself, the focus music induces hyper-focus, one way that ADHD can be beneficial.
You can try it for on the website or use the app (Android). This is one of the only apps that I’m willing to pay a subscription for because it works so well for me. Its $15.99 for 3 months. Totally worth it.
Yes, this is a great tool for you if you have ADHD. If you don’t – don’t take a stimulant! First of all, its illegal. Second, it won’t help you like you think it will. You may have energy and be able to study all night until the cows come home, but you won’t really be able to retain anything.
Having said that, how do I use this tool? I take 20mg of Adderall XR, twice a day. Its taken several years to really get this nailed down. I started on normal release Adderall, and it really worked, but it wore off too quickly for me. Then my doctor and I switched to the extended release once per day, it lasted longer, but not long enough to help with doing school work in the evening. So we revisted my prescription and started taking it twice a day, it worked great, but then I didn’t sleep well at all because it was still in my system when I went to sleep. Finally, I started a new medication schedule. I set an alarm and take my first dose at 6:00 am, then go back to sleep. I wake at normal time after that, then take my second dose 8 hours later at 2:00 pm. This lasts me until just about bed time.
Medication isn’t right for everyone, so please don’t expect results like mine just because it worked for me. My son also has ADHD and he hates taking medication, but he still does well in school and his behavior (outside the home) is great.
I have not been through any kind of therapy for ADHD, so this is not first hand experience. If you Google for licensed professional counselors (LPC) in your area, you’re likely to find they list things like ADHD as a specialty. From what I understand, they help you to recognize when you’re mind is straying away from your task (SQUIRREL!!), then re-frame your thinking back under control. This is really very oversimplified, but its the basic idea.
I’m sure there are many other tools out there for helping retain your focus. If you have any tools or methods please share them in the comments.
RICHIEANDERSON.NET 