2008 Appleton Christmas Parade

Today we enjoyed watching the 2008 Appleton Christmas Parade. Dad, my brother (Tim) and myself braved the cold. While temperatures fell below 30 degrees we chose to stand outside with more than 80,000 other parade goers to watch the evening Appleton Christmas Parade.

The Appleton Christmas Parade is the largest night time parade in the Midwest. Below are a few pictures from the parade.

My Brother Tim and I

It was a lot of fun even though it was freezing. When it was all done it was nice to be able to go home and grab a bowl of homemade chili! (Thanks to mom)

Miracle on Hwy 41 - God built a wall

This evening I traveled with my family to Appleton Wisconsin. On the way we ran through a portion of very hazardous weather. The roads suddenly got extremely slippery. I pulled the vehicle over and asked my father to drive. We drove a few miles more and noticed many accidents in front of us.

We past the first accident and noticed the next accident in front of us that we would have to pass. It was almost like “Frogger” as we swerved between accidents. As my father was slowly (less than 10 mph) traveling down the road I had seen a car in the other lane that was facing the wrong way. The car must have spun in a circle and was now trying to turn around so they were traveling the right way down the highway. He had turned around but didn’t notice the semi coming behind him. He managed to get out of the way of the semi but by that time the semi already had started to swerve on the icy road. Next thing I knew there was an 18 wheel semi heading right towards our vehicle. We had no place to go. Time went extremely slow. I watched as the semi jackknifed and started to fly across the median. It was heading straight towards us. I started saying “Father, Father, Father, Father, Father, Father” and my mom in the front seat starting saying “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Jesus, Jesus”. Dad froze as he watched this semi approach our vehicle.

That’s when the miracle happened. I believe God allowed time to crawl so we could see His hand. The jackknifed semi was coming straight towards us until we called on God. When His children are in need He always takes care of them. The semi was about 10 feet away from us before it suddenly (not slowly … but abruptly) took a turn and started heading the opposite direction. It was almost as though there was a wall put up to protect us. When the semi got to that wall it has no recourse but to move in the opposite direction.

We all thought that we were goners. We thought the worse unfortunately but thanks be to God who always protects His children, we are alive and well. A traumatic event that truly showed His love.

I thank God for sparing my life and for sparing my parents lives. God is so faithful. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve Him day by day.

Brenden Foster’s Last Wish (Age 11)

The day I met Brenden Foster, I met an old soul in an 11 year old’s body.

“I should be gone in a week or so,” he said calmly.

When I asked him what he thought were the best things in life, Brenden said, “Just having one.”

I didn’t understand how this child, who was a year younger than my own son, could be so courageous facing death.

“It happens. It’s natural,” Brenden told me.

Three years ago, doctors diagnosed Brenden with leukemia. The boy who once rushed through homework so he could play outside found himself confined to a bed. But there was no confining his spirit.

“I had a great time. And until my time comes, I’m going to keep having a great time,” he said.

Brenden’s selfless dying wish was to help the homeless.

“They’re probably starving, so give’em a chance,” he said, “food and water.”

But Brenden was too ill to feed them on his own. So volunteers from Emerald City Lights Bike Ride passed out some 200 sandwiches to the homeless in Seattle.

Then Brenden’s last wish took on a life of its own.

A TV station in Los Angeles held a food drive. School kids in Ohio collected cans. People in Pensacola, Florida gathered goods.

And here in Western Washington, KOMO viewers from all over took part in the Stuff the Truck food drive in Brenden’s honor. Hundreds with generous hearts donated six and a half huge truck loads of groceries and more than $60,000 in cash to benefit Northwest Harvest and Food Lifeline.

Brenden touched hearts all over the world. His wish came true, and he lived to see it.
“He had the joy of seeing all of the beautiful response to his last wish,” said his grandmother, Patricia McMorrow. “It gives him great peace and he knows that his life has meaning.”

“He’s left a legacy and he’s only 11,” said his mother, Wendy Foster. “He’s done more than most people dream of doing just by making a wish.”

Days before dying, Brenden surprised us with a sudden burst of energy. He wanted to get off the oxygen, hop out of bed and go buy a video game. Wise beyond his years, but still a kid.

“I have been so blessed to have this child. A mother couldn’t ask for a better son,” Wendy said.

The B-Man, as his family called him, had one more wish before going: sprinkle wildflower seeds to save the bees. He had heard bees were in trouble.

Someone answered B-Man’s wish. A retired pilot asked his pilot and flight attendant friends to sprinkle wild flowers around the world, from Bali to Brazil, on Brenden’s behalf.

When asked what made him sad, Brenden said, “When someone gives up.”

Brenden Foster never gave up. Even as he clung to his last hours of life, Brenden kept giving.

“Follow your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you,” he said.

By Elisa Jaffe BOTHELL, Wash

Quit your worship charades

Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.

– Isaiah 1:13-17 (The Message)

Milwaukee Give Project Success!

This past weekend we held the first “Milwaukee Give” in which World Outreach & Bible Training Center teamed up with Feed the Children to provide 400 families in the city of Milwaukee with boxes of food to last them up to two weeks. It was a huge success and there was a really great turn out. Many people accepted prayer and the blessings given in the form of food. Radio and TV stations were on site and so was a local company City.net who provided free coffee and hot chocolate to those in attendance.

Below is a link to one of the news networks that were on the scene providing live coverage.

My Fox Milwaukee - Click here to watch coverage.

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