It’s free but you’ll need a ticket to attend.  You can get your free tickets (for as long as they last) at the resource center on Sundays OR you can call the church office.  BTW, these tickets are a great way to invite folks to the service.  Everybody loves free tickets to stuff.

This is a kid-friendly event for the whole family so invite everyone you know!

Check out all the details at Christmas Eve in Suwanee.

We’re starting a new series this weekend called “Presence” and it’s going to be AMAZING!  Trust me on this one.  This whole series is going to be absolutely unforgettable!

Not only that but we’re going to be kicking the series off with a BANG this weekend.  We are going to be doing something we have NEVER done before at Fusion and it’s going to impact everyone that comes.  This is so much more than just a message series.  I’m telling you, don’t miss it!

Oh yeah, we’re starting the service with a little something special so don’t miss the first few minutes either.

HT:  Michael Lukaszewski

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.   -  Psalm 63:1 (NLT)

There are times in your life when you might find yourself in a parched and weary land.  Like David, there are going to be times when the promises you’ve received don’t seem to measure up to where you’ve ended up.  And, when this happens, you can often become very confused or weary.  You may start asking questions like “Why am I here?” or “Where’s God in all this?”

I’m sure David asked questions like that too but what I find remarkable is that he never stopped seeking God.  He kept searching for Him, and His will, no matter what. 

And don’t miss this important fact.  David never stopped calling the Lord ”my God.”  He says that God is HIS God.  No matter what is going on (or what isn’t going according to the plan you envisioned) you and I must always think of God as “my God” not just God but MY God!

Be sure to seek YOUR God today.  Seek Him with your whole heart.  Seek Him and his will even if you are, at the moment, in a dry and weary place.  Remember that YOUR God hasn’t forgotten you and that you will find Him when you seek Him.  (You may want to read the rest of the Psalm.)

Deaver worked closely with Reagan for over thirty years and this behind-the-scenes look at the man from the days before his was governor through his White House years and beyond is eye-opening in so many ways. 

There are a lot of myths out there about Reagan.  He has been accused of having a limited intellect.  It has also been said that he had a detached, lazy approach to leadership.  This book, as well as the wonderful Reagan Diaries, debunks these myths and reveals a thinking man that was constantly reading and learning.  It also reveals an amazing leader and that knew how to get the best out of the people that worked for him. 

Interestingly, even though Jimmy Carter is considered to be one of the most intelligent men that’s ever held the office, he’s also considered one of least effective because of his tendency to micro-manage.  Reagan, on the other hand, was one of our most effective presidents because he knew how to lead AND he knew how to pick the right people to lead with him.

Again, this was a fascinating book and I recommend it to anyone that wants to get a closer look at this great leader.

• Remember the Milk
• Toodledo
• Task2Gather
• Todoist
• Vitalist
• Taskado
• Nozbe
• GTDAgenda
• Action This
• Backpack
• Basecamp
• On Stage
• Go Plan
• Wrike
• 5PM
• Hi Task
• Central Desktop
• EasyTask Manager
• PlanPlus Online
• FC MobileLife
• iGTD
• Monkey GTD
• Mentat

Any of you productivity gurus know of any other good ones?

We had adjoining rooms at the Lodge and Spa.  Amy loved the look and style of the rooms.  Mary loved the fact that they provided us with robes.

As part of our package, we got to see the Fantasy in Lights thing they do each year.  It was amazing.  We live just down the street from the Magical Nights of Lights at Lake Lanier and go every year but the one at the Gardens puts ours to shame.  It was much more elaborate and it had music playing throughout the drive that matched what was going on in each section.

The next day, we had an opportunity to visit the butterfly center.  It was neat to walk around the center and just see all these butterflies flying around.  I’m not in to butterflies that much but it was really a cool sight.  I got some cool pictures too.  That’s easier said than done because those butterflies are quick and they don’t stop for very long.

Callaway Gardens also has a pioneer house on the property.  It was built in the 1830’s then moved to the gardens in 1960.  I found the one-room house very interesting.  It was a great object lesson for all of us too.  It made me thankful for everything we have.

There’s a lot more to our little trip but I won’t bore you with all the details.  You can check out my photos here.

Thanks again, Fusion, for giving this two-day trip to us.  It felt like a week away and everyone had a great time!