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Sanctity of Life 2011

January 31st, 2011

Green Acres Baptist Church housed this year’s Sanctity of Life Conference. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the beauty of life. The Event was put on by C.A.R.E. and Living Alternatives. C.A.R.E. (Christ Centered Abortion Recovery) is a recovery group for women who suffer from the physical and emotional effects of an abortion. Women that have been involved with this support group opened up and talked about their emotional struggles after having an abortion. They opened up about the trails they endured and choices that they made to numb themselves from the memory and emotional emptiness they felt from the abortion. They spoke of their struggles with alcohol, self-image, and even abusive relationships. C.A.R.E. helped these women fill the emptiness that they felt, with the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

The different branches of Living Alternatives help young women who are pregnant and need support. The Pregnancy Resource Center, which is located by Tyler Junior College, offers free pregnancy test, counseling, and sonograms. Building Blocks offers new single moms with support, counseling, and even free baby stuff that were donated for families in need. Father Heart is a large home that houses many pregnant women and allows them to finish up their high school education if needed. Living Alternatives also has a great adoption program. They find great families that would raise a child in a safe and loving home.

This year’s Sanctity of Life conference was amazing. A young girl took stage and spoke about her testimony. She was only alive by the grace of God. Claire Culwell decided to meet her birth-mother for the first time when she was about 19 years of age. Soon after meeting her, her birth-mother confessed that when she was only thirteen she found out she was pregnant with Claire. Afraid of the future the young girl was advised to have an abortion. She went to a clinic and had the abortion; she thought life would go on as it did before. When she was about six months pregnant she realized that she was still growing as if she was pregnant, so she returned to the clinic to see why she still felt pregnant. They had told her that much to their surprise she was pregnant with twins. They succeeded in aborting one twin, but the other baby was still alive. Because the young girl was too far along in her pregnancy the clinic could not do another abortion, so they sent her out of state. As they prepared her for her second abortion they realized that it would be to dangerous on this young girls body and she was going to have this baby soon. Two weeks later she delivered a three month premature baby girl. Claire was than adopted into a loving family, and lives to tell all about the gift of life and the mercy of the Father.

U.S. Representative, Louie Gohmert, spoke at the program about being Pro-Life and the sad percentages of young women who have had an abortion in the United States. David Dykes, Pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church prayed and shared a word of encouragement, and so did the director of C.A.R.E. ministries. This event was a great encouragement for so many people, and a great time to reflect on the purpose of the gift of life.

Jimmy Johns in Tyler Texas

September 25th, 2010

Jimmy John's in Tyler TX
Jimmy Johns is a delicious sandwich sub shop soon to be opening in Tyler Texas and several other East Texas cities. They are now open for business in the old Blockbuster location by Lack’s Furniture and Green Acres Baptist Church.

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Keep an eye out for this new lunch time hot spot that will be competing against the likes of Quiznos, Subway, Jersey Mikes, and I think that’s just about it.

Oh ya, Brookshires, Wal-Mart, and Albertsons sale pre-made disgusting sub sandwiches. Why buy pre-made when you can get fresh to order sub sandwiches at Jimmy Johns in Tyler Texas.

Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler

January 18th, 2010

Green Acres Baptist Church is located at 1607 Troup Hwy, Tyler, Texas 75701. Green Acres Baptist Church mission statement is that they exist to exalt God’s greatness and spread the word to God’s world making sure people are fully ready to share God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord. Everything they do is to bring people to Christ. My family has been members of this church as long as I can remember. At first I did not like it because I judged the people in the church according to my Sunday school class members and what was happening there. I automatically assumed that the whole congregation must be the same. With that in mind, I was a 14 year old girl trying to fit in somewhere and Green Acres seemed too rich and too big to me. I felt ashamed to be there because we had very little money. Therefore, I felt like I did not fit in because I was not driving the right car or wearing the name brand clothes. For that reason I left the church when I was old enough to drive and choose somewhere else to worship.

Don’t worry the story does not end like this, teenage years are hard anyway for anybody too young to really know what is going on and peer pressure is strong for girls to want to fit in somewhere cool. When I became an adult, I went back to Green Acres and realized that I had made some ugly judgments upon the church based on my teenage years. Not very fair I know but like I said I have long changed my mind about what I thought in my younger years. I will be honest, too big of a place for me. Prefer smaller groups of people nothing wrong with larger ones…just feel more comfortable in something not as big.

Pastor Dyke’s is a great teacher. You can tell he loves God and wants to reach the world for His name sake There are so many opportunities they offer probably too many to list. My family has been uniquely bless in so many ways by the members there. Anytime we called and needed help ….they were always ready to reach out to those in need. Need counseling…they have it; lacking in food, clothing or other necessities, Green Acres is fully equipped to help you and love to reach out and help the community and share the love of Jesus.

Your marriage on the rocks…you can go to a 10-12 weeks Seminar that Cindy Dykes is holding for couples that are engaged, dating or married and want to learn more about how to relate to one another. I went to the program myself and loved it. Anything you learn you can apply to your life and help you become a better person. The library is big and offers movies, books and Cd’s that you can rent at no cost. You don’t have to rent…you can also buy it if you would like to keep it. There is a children’s area that is very safe, our daughter loved being there and playing with the other babies. The personnel that volunteered to watch the children were very nice and you could tell they loved being there and spending time with them. Everybody is welcome no matter the race, sex, or denomination. Tons of exciting stuff for your children to do. Don’t think you have to worry about not having enough to do. Maybe the opposite, too much fun things to do.

If you’re looking for a place to join or visit and don’t mind a big place, then you may have found the congregation you have been looking for. Refrain from making the same mistake as I did….by judging a place before you know more about it. Go visit and see for yourself if Green Acres Baptist Church is the Tyler TX church congregation for you and your family.

Things to do in Tyler Texas with Your Kids

December 21st, 2009

Tyler is not only a great place for retirees, medical professionals, and people who like to eat, it also has plenty to offer families. There are many things to do in Tyler Texas with your kids, whether you’re wanting to enjoy the mild winter outdoors or escape the summer heat, there are plenty of fun family activities around Tyler.

Free Attractions in Tyler

The Faulkner Park Splash Park for kids is a great place for all ages to splash through water jet sprays, squirt guns, and buckets of water splashing from a top a automated machine. If you get tired of all the water there are two kids playgrounds with some really neat playground equipment right beside the splash park. This splash park area is my favorite kids park in Tyler. It is off of Broadway in Faulkner Park. Look for the sign as you drive into the park as it is a little bit hidden.

If you’re looking for free family-friendly fun, check out the library. Tyler Public Library, located on South College Street, or my personal favorite, Green Acres Baptist Church’s library, located inside the church, which is on Troupe Highway inside the loop.

The Brookshire’s Wildlife Museum

This museum, located just south of loop 323 on Old Jacksonville Highway, has provided hours of entertainment for my children from age one in a stroller to age 7. The museum provides just the right mix of indoor museum fair and a great outdoor playground and old fashioned fire engine when the youngest lose interest in the stuffed lions, bears, and monkeys or just cannot NOT touch anything.

Historic Aviation Memorial Museum

“The Airplane museum” is a small, but impressive walk-through experience for an afternoon. Even my princesses were impressed by the airplanes and helicopter enough to want to become a pilot someday. The museum is now located at the old Tyler Pounds Field Airport terminal on Highway 64.

The Tyler Rose Garden

The Rose Garden is a great outdoors place for you and your children to explore. Your young boys may not be impressed by the sheer number of gorgeous roses, but they will love to explore pathways, the wooden bridge, fountains, and ponds. There’s plenty of space to run and enjoy a picnic together afterward.

Things to do in Tyler for small fee

The Center for Earth & Space Science Education

The Center for Earth & Space Science Education replaced the old planetarium and is an enhanced science center more than twice the size of its predecessor.

The Center for Earth & Space Science Education serves as a dynamic public science education facility, offering educational and entertainment programming to encourage an interest in, and support for, science education. Enjoy traveling hands-on science exhibits in the exhibit hall and large-screen movies in the 40-foot domed theater. Open Tuesday through Sunday. For admission prices and show and exhibit details, visit www.tjc.edu/CESSE or call 903-510-2312.

The Cliffs in Lindale TX

This one is best for kids at least 6 years old as it involves cliff diving. There are small cliffs and large cliffs and so depending on your skill level will likely determine where you decide to jump from. You can watch a video and read more about the Cliffs here.

The Villages Water Park

If you’re looking to beat the heat and still enjoy the sunshine, head on down to The Water Park at The Villages in Flint. Waterslides, forest animal themed playscape, tubing river, and pool are sure to amuse the whole family for a whole day. Adult admission is 19.95 and kids over 2 get in for 16.95. Birthday packages start at 169.95 for 10 guests.

Caldwell Zoo

Our family has frequented the Tyler Caldwell Zoo both when it was free and open to the public, and after by purchasing a family membership (much more economical if you plan on coming more than a couple times a year). They pack a number of unique animals in a small space, and our kids are never disappointed. Bring extra cash and quarters for kid favorites: the snack bar, food for the fish and ducks, and birdseed sticks to feed the birds in their wildfowl exhibit.[ad#large-blog-block]

Discovery Science Place

This is one of our favorite indoor places in Tyler. The Discovery Science Place has a little something for kids of all ages. The littlest einstiens will enjoy exploring the sensory (?) play pit and looking for their favorite clown fish in the big fishtank. Children ages 3 to 10 will find plenty of activities to pique their interest: exploring the dark caves and tunnels, activating the earthquake machine, sending balls down the mini-roller coaster, and the biggest room full of imaginative play any kid could ever wish for. What would it be like to be an actor on the stage? Wanna be a vet? Work at a Pizzeria? Play EMT? Kids can climb aboard a real ambulance, don a doctor’s coat, bandage a baby doll, or listen for their brother’s heartrate through a real stethescope. Older children will find curious science exhibits in the backroom waiting for their interaction. This is place if chock full of explorative possibilities particularly for that 3-10 age group; you will not exhaust it in one rainy afternoon. So let the kids take their time, and plan on returning another rainy day.

Restaurants with Playgrounds

Need to let the kids stretch between shopping, errands, or appointments? Grab lunch at one of Tyler’s many restaurants with play-places: McDonald’s on Broadway, Chick-fil-a on Broadway and 110 S has one of the only indoor playgrounds, Sonic on the west side: Loop 323 and 64, has a great outdoor playground and vollyball court for kids of all ages. McDonald’s offers birthday party packages starting at $67 for 10 partiers including happy meals, cake, goody bags, hostess, and party supplies.

Laser Tag

Tyler’s Laser-X laser tag center provides the ultimate laser tag experience. This Tyler business holds the record for the largest Lazer-X center in the world with a whopping 13,300 square feet, and rounds out the total sporting experience with a full service food and drink concession. Need an unforgettable party site for your teen and all his pals? The dining/party area can seat up to 100 guests, and gamers can take advantage of the arcade games, or play a little air hockey or pool. The arena itself will either awe or overwhelm the senses with music, black light, fluorescent carpet, fog, strobes, and other special effects.
The cost? Here’s where the fun fades to the background for mom and dad: $8.80 for one game (but what kid could be satisfied with only one?) and the price increases up to the ultimate individual experience at $25.30 for a 1 1/2 hour pass. And for the unforgettable birthday party experience, plan on shelling out at least $165 to rent a room and pay for 8 guests. You provide the food and supplies.

The Skateplex (Out of Business): Update: Now Tony Cruz XTC Fitness Sports & Fitness

Tyler Skateplex has morphed from a simple rollerskating arena into a full-circle entertainment center for the X-games fan. In addition to the traditional skating floor, the Skateplex houses an arcade room, party room, snack bar, gamers’ lounge with XBOX 360’s, PS3’s, and Wii’s, and an elaborate skate park. Individual prices vary from $4 to $8 for a skating rink pass depending on the night ($20 for lock-ins), $2 extra for skate rental, $5 for the gamers’ lounge pass, and $8-$25 for the skate park. Birthday party packages start at $100 for 10 partiers, and increase depending on what’s included to the ultimate 1 hour private party package at $200 including rental, hostess, and DJ (additional fees apply for extra hours, use of the skate park or gaming lounge, and if your party includes more than 100 guests).

Blast Ball

Blast Ball is like Tee-Ball but even simpler and for ages 2 1/2 – 4. Kids get to learn what it is like to be on a team and enjoy the sport without all the rules they are not quite ready for. Your child is sure to love it. Registration is in the first part of March. You can read more about Blast Ball and how to register at this article.

Jumpin’ Jack’s Party Shack

What kid doesn’t enjoy a good jump in a bouncy house? Imagine a building full of bouncy houses; add slides and ramps and bouncy mazes, and you’ll find yourself at Jumpin’ Jack’s Party Shack, on highway 69 south of Tyler. This is a great place for the energetic child, but not for the one prone to tears. The later may be so inspired they forget to cry, but it could just be a sad wait on the picnic tables with mom until the rest of the crew exhausts themselves. Open admission is $6 per child.
Jumpin’ Jack’s Party Shack makes throwing a birthday party for 3-10 year olds easy. The staff takes care of set up and decorations, serving cake, and clean up. They also provide the cake or cupcakes, punch, and supplies. Mail out the invitations, and they do the rest. Can’t beat that. Party packages start at $225 for up to 14 friends. Theme parties are available for an additional fee.

Chuck-E-Cheese

Chuck-e-Cheese is another option for birthday parties, but I wouldn’t call it an “easy birthday party.” I wouldn’t voluntarily take my own four children into that vastly over-rated over-stimulating, headache-on-a-pizza-tray, let alone keep tabs on a whole party of young ones in this too bright, too loud circus. If that’s not enough to deter you, the affect on your wallet might. The party package costs start at $10.99 per child and include 20 tokens per child which will provide about 10 minutes of fun, so plan on spending more to stave off disappointed little faces.

For an East Texas Experience

If you are up to the travel you can drive on out North of Longview and White Oak to a town called East Mountain where you will find Sacred Spur Ranch. You will find a ranch style restaurant opened on Friday and Saturdays. Saturdays seem to be a little more lively. The restaurant offers cowboy style ambiance, live country music, and steaks cooked on a large make shift iron grill over wood coals. The feel of this place is truly rustic and will provide kids a more rustic type restaurant experience. I wouldn’t take toddlers here however.

As you can see, there are many things to do in Tyler Texas for families. So get out there and explore!

Things To Do In Tyler Texas

December 16th, 2009

This will be a reoccurring topic in the Tyler TX Directory as one of the most common things you hear in any non-metropolitan city is that there is nothing to do in this town. I usually hear this from those obviously too cool to be living in Tyler with their facial piercings and angry Mohawk syndrome. Let’s face it there are some cool people in Tyler and I see them hanging out all the time over at Starbucks. From what I hear they all want to go to New York to experience life because this town is just not that cool and never was.

Well I like Tyler Texas and have found some interesting things to do here quite frequently. About half of making this town fun and enjoyable is to get yourself connected with some local friends. These friends will make things more fun in general regardless of what you do and will be able to hook you up with some places you would not normally have access to. For instance, I get to fish at this private lake from time to time with my father n’ law that I never knew about before. I won’t say where exactly but there are about 7 different camps, Christian camps, and retreats in the Tyler area that have everything from ziplines, pools, private lakes, to mountain bike trails. These little areas represent some extras that most Tyler people do not have access to but with a few connections you could very easily be able to have a little fun at one of these places. You may already have access to one of these places but have taken it for granted.

A List of Some of These Remote Fun Areas Of Tyler and More

1.) Pinecove
2.) The Villages Resort on Lake Palestine
3.) East Texas Gator Farm
4.) YWAM Ranch or TeenMania campus
5.) Wits End Ranch
6.) The Zoo, Caldwell Zoo (Santa’s Workshop December 12, 13 and 19)
7.) The Tyler State Park
8.) The Lion and Tiger Refuge
9.) Canton Trade Days
10.) Edom Texas Restaurants and Arts and Crafts
11. ) South Tyler First Baptist Church Pond and Park
12. ) South Tyler Green Acres Baptist Church Pond and Park
13. ) Kiepersol Restaurant and Winery Horse Coach Ride
14. ) The Christmas Store (Around Christmas Time)
15. ) Mineola Train Ride to Dallas or Fort Worth
16. ) SFA, UT Tyler, or TJC Basketball Games (SFA made it to the tournament last year)
17. ) Faulkner Park Stocked Fishing Pond
18. ) Water Splash Park at Faulkner Park, South Tyler
19. ) Splash Kingdom Water Park
20. ) Be Normal, Stay Home and Play a Game With Your Family
21. ) Join a Rugby Club
22. ) Frisbee Golf at Lindsey Park
23. ) Sacred Spur Ranch in East Mountain. A true ranch style east texas restaurant experience.
24.) SkyRanch

These are 24 fun things I like to do in Tyler and this was just off the top of my head. I am sure you can think of 20 other things. In fact why don’t you comment on what you think is fun to do in Tyler Texas to add to this list. I think everyone could use some fresh ideas for what they can do in Tyler that is fun and entertaining. It’s nice getting to change things up a little and do something different.