Welcome to the Week of the 100th Post here at MinSoFab!  On Thursday, I’ll write our 100th post… and so, we obviously need a contest to celebrate.  And, in true Starlite fashion, our contest prize has a theme.

Really, what did you expect from a girl who named her ministry programs Twinkle, Sparkle and Glow?

One of the best parts about running a ministry for girls is that sometimes people send me oh-so-special girly stuff to try.  After forcing you to listen to my stories of falling on my face in front of a few hundred middle school girls and asking you to vote on how I should wear my hair for my first date with That Boy, I figured the least I could do is share the wealth with you.  And so, our contest is going to be called “It’s Fabulous to be a Girl!”

Because, really, it is fabulous to be a girl… especially if you win this prize:

That’s right — in honor of my 100th post, I’m giving away 100 different items to one MinSoFab reader!

Here’s the rules: You can enter the contest by leaving a comment on this post; you don’t have to have a blog, but you must leave your email address in order for me to be able to contact you.  One entry per person.  To get a SECOND entry into the contest, post a link on your blog to this contest and email me at ministrysofab@yahoo.com to let me know the link is up.  Once I see it up, I’ll enter your name AGAIN in the contest.  Due to shipping costs, this contest is only open to readers with a mailing address in the U.S.  Sorry, but no current Starlite leaders or volunteers are eligible to win this prize.  Others prohibited from winning include my mother, my two puppies and my roommate, Katie. 

I’ll leave the comments open until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday and the winner will be posted here early Thursday morning.  I’ll either be using the whole random number generator thing-y or me and roomie will put your names in a hat and draw one out.  We’re real scientific here at MinSoFab, in case you can’t already tell. 

Now, for the REAL info you want to know… here’s what’s in the prize package! 

46 Clinique products (some trial, some full-size — includes various lipsticks, Repairwear for Eyes, “Take the Day Off” Make-Up Remover, Colour Surge eye shadows, etc.); Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels “Heavenly” body wash; Martha Stewart Real Simple Teal Organizer; Dolce Vita brown purse with silver accents; Kerastase Lumiere Nutri-Sculpt; KI Memories Scrapbook Black Bookplates; KI Memories Scrapbook Black Flowers; Doodlebug Design Inc. Polka Dot Organdy Ribbon; Jolee’s Boutique White Freesia Scrapbook Flowers; Paper Magic Group Handmade Card w/ Limo Design; Paper Magic Group Handmade Gift Tags (seven total in prize package); Dome Chocolat pink “To Do Today” Notepad (two total in prize package); N.Y.C. Nail Enamel in Glitzy Glitter; C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine (six total in prize package); Caboodles’ heart bath confetti; The Body Shop Straight Nail Scissors; Crest Pro Health Mouthwash; Pink Gift Suitcase; Red Gift Suitcase; Victoria’s Secret Black and White Make-Up Bags (three total in prize package); Hallmark Cards Heartline Thank You Notes (two sets total in prize package); Special Moments Photo Albums (two total in prize package); Elizabeth’s Spa Moisture Socks; Ozark Trail Hooded Poncho; Landia Home Warm Honey candle; Lancome Colour Focus EyeColour in Filigree; bath poofies (six total in prize package); and Chesapeake Bay hand-poured vanilla candles (six total in prize package).  All items included in prize package are new.

WHEW!  Please note that the lounge chair is not included as that is my favorite thing in my bedroom.  Other than, you know, my hair products.

Now, enter away!  I’ve got to go have some alone time to come to grips with the fact that I just offered to give away 46 Clinique products from my very own stash. 

You might get my Clinique, but you’re never getting my hot rollers so BACK OFF, INTERLINGS.

Hwelo, interwings.

Dis is Snuggles, de Starwite puppy.  Cuddles no write 2 u, becuz he is in da laundry basket rite now.  He ated mommy’s favorwite ballet showes and she no lyke it.  I pwobably steel her fwavorite, tanks to Cuddles’ bad behaviur.

Mommy is buzy doing sum cwooking (yes, we iz scared 2) so I tiped in hers passwurd and loggeded on to da interwebby.  I have a t0p secrit ting to tell u. 

I sawd mommy taking fotographs of PWIZES for da interwings!!!  Dis weak, she gonna write her 100th bwoggy post and she want 2 celllllebrate wif u.  I herd her say dat she gonna have a contwest rite here 2morrow morning.  She say “No puppies alowed to entwer da contwest!” but me & Cuddles gonna trwick her.  We gonna wite “Imawaginary Boyfwiend” and she pick us!!!  We no like dat Imawaginary Boyfwiend, neway.

Got 2 go b4 mommy fynd me on da kewboard typin to da interwings.  I sea u here 2morrow mornin, bwight & earle.

Luv,

P.S. - I am weally a boy puppy.  Dose Starwite gwirls made me weared da bow.  I wook lyke a GWIL!  And I no lyke it at all.

Ever since I went on the date with That Boy, I’ve been ashamed of the fact that while he mentioned he is a fabulous cook, I can’t make a frozen pizza without burning it.  So, last night, I decided to try out a couple of new recipes and prove to myself that I can cook just as well as That Boy.

And for those of you who have been emailing to ask if there’s any update on me and That Boy, I think the fact that I just admitted I spent my Friday night alone trying to cook for well, myself, pretty much answers that question. 

Single life, I never really left you even if I did get to spend one fun night away from your sharp claws.

Ahem.

Anyway, I decided to try to make chicken fingers and cheese biscuits.  Because I am all about the healthy food choices.

In all seriousness though, I wanted to make them for some Starlite college girls who are coming to my place tonight and figured I better do a test run before they showed up.  And that is also known as the understatement of the year.

Here’s the problem: I watch those cooking shows where the chef will say “Oh, I don’t have my such-and-such ingredient.  I’ll just substitute with THIS!”  Or they say “This recipe calls for a tablespoon of such-and-such.  I don’t need to measure it out because I know how to make it!” 

And then I do the same in my kitchen.

And lo, a disaster is born.

I’ll skip boring you with the details, but here are some helpful hints straight from my heart to yours:

1. Flour is a very important ingredient in the biscuit making process.  So, make sure you remember to include it.  Otherwise, you’re going to wonder why your “dough” is just liquid.  

2. Should you find yourself with a bowl full of “biscuit dough” that is actually liquid, shrugging your shoulders and pouring it on a pan to bake isn’t going to magically create biscuits in 12 - 16 minutes.  Check the recipe, fool!

3. You know how the recipe calls for grated sharp cheddar cheese?  Chunks of mild cheddar cheese thrown into the bowl will cause a very, very disgusting ending.

4. When mixing up the fried chicken batter, note that it calls for a teaspoon of pepper.  Your idea to use 1/4 of a cup of whole peppercorns because “you like things spicy” is going to send you running for the jug of Sunny Delight. 

5. It is a good idea to learn to defrost your chicken before dropping it into a vat of hot oil.  Otherwise, you’ll be left with some new beauty marks courtesy of the oil.

There’s more, but this is all my heavy heart can offer to you this morning. 

And anyways, I need to go call in a pizza order for later tonight.

Today’s Friday’s Face is our precious Angela, or as I like to call her, Angie-baby.  She’s been described as the “youngest sister” out of our leadership team, but only because she’s the most playful, happiest, innocent one of us all.  Here, let me give you a visual to prove my point:

Yep, Angie-baby dressed up as a bunch of grapes not too long ago.  We love every little thing about her and I think you will too.

My sweet, sweet Angie-baby.

Hello my little butterfly!

I just love it when you call me your little butterfly.  Even though, you know, I’m not little or a butterfly.  Whatev’.

Well, you are to me!

So, shall we begin with a little truth or dare?

Sure thing… truth.

Truth it is: how often do you read the bloggy?

Well, you see it’s just that there’s so many new posts that I can’t keep up with them all… so, not often.

Angela!  I don’t like this game anymore.  Moving on to better things: please state your title and role in Starlite.  Stat.

Assistant Director of Sparkle, for our middle school girls!

And this means you…

Assist the director in whatever her heart’s desire may be…

You’ve been a part of Starlite for awhile now; what’s been your favorite memory so far?

Well, I may have to go with a second favorite memory… but I’d say dancing to “It’s Raining Men” in front of a bunch of middle school girls was a pretty memorable event in my life!

I really hope that first memory you didn’t refer to doesn’t have anything to do with me and a certain trampoline incident.

(No comment.)

Ahem.  What year are you in college?

Sophomore.

And what do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to do missions.  I’m not sure where yet, but I’m trusting that God will fill me in on that detail soon!

Okay, prepare yourself… it’s time for the Lightening Round!

Oh dear…

Favorite guilty pleasure?

Eating a LOT of cookie dough in one sitting…

Last thing you had to eat?

I believe that would be cookie dough… lol.

Stay home and rent a movie or go to the theater?

Stay home for sure — much cheaper!

Favorite two puppies in the whole entire universe?

I can’t pick between your two angels!

Can’t blame me for trying.

Oh yes I can. 

I rarely do two posts in one day, but this couldn’t wait.  Prepare yourself:

So, I hear that my roommate is home and go into her bedroom to say hello while she flat irons her hair.  We are, in hair aspects, the perfect roommates.

Anyway, we’re talking about our monthly bills for the townhouse and the following conversation occurs:

Katie: “So, exactly how does our cable bill work?”

Me: “Well, it gets emailed to me and I pay it and then you give me half of it.”

Katie: “No, I mean do we get billed a flat rate or is it for how many minutes we watch tv every month?”

Me: (Incredulous stare.)

Eric, Katie’s boyfriend: (Incredulous stare.)

Me: “Are you serious?”

Eric: “Katie, it is flat billed.”

Me: “I am so going to blog this right now.  I’m gonna call it “My roommate… coming at you Live This Thursday Night.”

Katie: “Well, you shouldn’t because it isn’t Thursday.”

Me: (Incredulous stare.)

Eric: (Incredulous stare.)

Me: “Katie, it is definitely Thursday.”

Katie: “Nope, it’s Wednesday.”

Eric: “She’s right Katie… it really is Thursday.”

Me: “Look at your calendar.  It’s Thursday.”

Katie: (Embarrassed expression.)  And then, “Well, that’s debatable.”

And just now, from the hallway, this is the conversation that is being yelled:

Eric: “Katie, I’m hungry.”

Katie: “Don’t care.”

Eric: “I’m going to go get a snack.”

Katie: “If you eat my last Jello cup, you’re gonna die.”

Three minutes later.

Eric: “Mmm, that was some good Jello.”

Katie: “You go buy me some more Jello right now or we’re over!”

Obviously, I need to clue Katie into the fact that the one thing that has kept Imaginary Boyfriend and me together for so long is the fact that I willingly let him have the Jello, even if it is the last in the fridge.  Unless it is the orange kind, ’cause that’s my favorite.

One of my biggest surprises about this little bloggy has been discovering that it is read by far more people outside of our town than those here who actually know us.  I looked through yesterday’s stats and was blown away to see that over 80% of the people who visited the blog yesterday are NOT from good ‘ol Cleveland, TN.

I know what you’re thinking.  “She knows how to figure percentages?”  Ya’ll, don’t be silly.  I was far too busy rearranging my ponytail holders, so I had Imaginary Boyfriend calculate the stats for me.  Besides being incredibly good looking, he’s a math genius. 

Anyway, I get several emails a week from the interlings asking one main question about Starlite: how do you get funding?  The answer to that question would take more than a few bloggy posts, but I thought I’d give you a little glimpse into the funding side of it.  I’ll do a post sometime soon about how we actually get the money; it is quite the interesting process.  Just to peak your interest, we receive more regular monthly donations from construction companies than churches.

I know.

Today, however, let’s talk about something much happier: how we spend the money!

When you’re running programs for girls in grades 3 through 12, there is a whole range of items you have to buy.  We have the regular weekly items, of course: tortilla chips, processed nacho cheese, plastic nacho containers, cups, napkins, drinks, etc.  Our ten regular weekly programs all serve the same menu (nachos); but our special dessert Bible study for our oldest high school girls serves something different each week.  During special ”themed” weeks, we do something different to spice things up a bit.  

For example, all of our elementary school programs had a special snack last week that was themed around Easter.  We got to the schools earlier than usual and set-up a ”party” — yellow plates and napkins with white cups.  We had nachos on the plates but also gave them a pink bunny Peep and some jelly beans.  They also received a treat bag that had an egg with candy in it, a plastic carrot filled with pixie dust candy, more jelly beans and an Easter pencil.

Why they love the holiday-themed pencils, I do not know.  However, I am happy to report that the pencils were almost as well received as the pink bunny Peeps.

We spent $100.00 total on all four schools for that week’s program.  That included all the food and all the craft supplies.  Not too bad, right?

Here’s how we do it:

1. Dollar Store — I can’t emphasize enough how much we use our local Dollar Store.  Our town finally got a Target a few weeks ago, so we’ve already started using their Dollar Stop section as well.  As our programs have grown so much in the past year, we’ve started having to go to several Target stores or several Dollar Stores in order to get what we need, but it is worth the drive.

2. Buying in mass quantity – When our programs first started growing, I didn’t really like shopping for them because I didn’t know how to shop for mass quantities.  Over the years, I’ve learned that there are some things we should buy in large quantities and some things we shouldn’t.  For example, we buy enough containers of processed nacho cheese in August to last us ’til December because it doesn’t go bad for three years.  Isn’t that disgusting?  However, we don’t buy the boxes of chips more than a month in advance because they do become stale — and no one likes stale tortilla chips.

3. Buy in advance — This is probably what helps us the most when it comes to “special” purchases we make.  Here’s an example: early this morning, I went by our local Walgreen’s to see if their Easter stuff had been marked down yet.  It was, so I bought them out of small plastic treat cups (they’re normally $.25 each and I got them for $.06).  I also bought 25 bags of Easter grass at 75% off.  See for yourself, courtesy of my camera phone:

You can’t see all of the cups, but I got 186.  Might sound like a lot, but it will be only about a third of what I estimate we’ll need for next Easter.  So, we’ll be hitting more sales like this over the next few days.

In order to keep track of purchases like this, I keep a Word document that is divided into months for the coming year.  So, later today I’ll go into the “March ‘09″ file and put an entry reminding me that we have purchased 186 Easter cups and 25 bags of Easter grass for the elementary school programs.  I’ll also put a note in there to remind me where I bought the stuff so that I’ll have tips on where to look next year.

Of course, the downside to us doing this is the fact that we never know how many girls we’re going to have a year from now.  For example, before it started, we estimated that 15 girls would attend the program that I am leading this semester. 

And, um, 70 little girls come every week without fail.

Which reminds me of another note I should put in that file for next year:

“Amy Beth: Whatever you do, DO NOT offer to lead one of the elementary school programs next year.  Stay in your office; it is much safer there.  Be free from the processed nacho cheese.  Be free indeed.”

And the people interlings said amen.

One day while Laura (one of our lovely college leaders) was volunteering in the Starlite office, I overheard her having the following conversation with someone who had called her cell:

Laura: “I’m getting kind of sick about hearing about your ministry.  Starlite is so much better.”

Other girl: (Actually, I have no idea what she said as I couldn’t hear her side of the conversation.)

Laura: “Well, even if ya’ll did minister to more kids last year than we did, my ministry DRESSES better than your ministry!”

It should be noted that when I called Laura in my office to get the full story on this conversation, she said she was referring to the fact that our leaders had cute pink shirts as opposed to the plain white shirts the other ministry was sporting.

And that, of course, definitely makes it okay to say that our ministry dresses better than their ministry.

I’m kidding.

Well said, my pink-shirt-wearing diva.  Well said.

Hypothetically speaking, let’s say you head to Cracker Barrel with a friend for breakfast.  While trying to decide between plain hashbrowns or hashbrown casserole, you look up to see the pastor of your church sitting down at the table next to you.  Over the next few minutes, you and your friend make polite conversation with him. 

At some point in the conversation, your friend points out that you and your pastor have the same Very Fancy Cell Phone.  After you both sheepishly admit that you still don’t know how to actually work the Very Fancy Cell Phone, you discover a mutual love for Bubble Breaker (aka The Best Cell Phone Game Ever). 

Your pastor says that he sometimes plays Bubble Breaker during boring meetings.  Without stopping to think through what you’re about to say, you blurt out that you also play Bubble Breaker during boring meetings, previous grad school classes and — for the big finale — church.

I believe it is safe to say that you will be experiencing what we call A Very Awkward Moment right there at the Barrel.

Not that I know this from experience or anything.

Not at all.

‘Cause I would never speak without thinking or anything like that.

Or, you know, play cell phone games during church.

Never.

One of my favorite things we do with our leadership team is have accountability partners.  At the start of each semester, I pair the girls up and ask them to each think of three questions that they need to be asked every single week.  They write them on a slip of paper and exchange them with their partner. 

The pairs then have to meet up each week — in person — to have their accountability time.  I do this as well with my own accountability partner and let me be the first to say that knowing someone will be asking you those three questions over coffee on Thursday night really helps keep you on track the rest of the week.

And no, my three questions do not involve my hair.

Trust me, I am as shocked as you are.  It truly is a miracle.

A few weeks ago, I really felt like we needed to add a fourth question to everyone’s list — and that the question should be “Did you go to church this week?”  I know all too well how hard it can be to get up and go to church when you’ve already been to three chapel services that week at your college.  My girls give and give and give of themselves each week and I know how important it is for them to have God pour back into them. 

So, we collectively agreed to forsake Bedside Baptist even though we know that Pastor Pillow and Minister Mattress will be disappointed.  And I don’t even want to think about what Sister Sheets will say about us at the Gossip Prayer Circle. 

This morning, while on my way to the office, I passed a small country church that offered a motivational saying to keep us on track:

“Jesus rose from the dead.  You can rise from bed.”

Amen.

In the interest of keeping it real for the interlings, I’d like to tell you that I’ve spent most of the past few evenings crying.  I’ve cried happy tears, like the ones earlier today when I watched one of my former college roommates marry the love of her life.  I’ve also cried sad tears, like the ones from a few nights ago when someone wounded my heart without realizing how badly he had hurt me.

But tonight, I want to cry different tears.  I want to cry desperate tears.

You see, there’s more to the MacKenzie story than I’ve told you this week.  It is true that MacKenzie is from my home church; I met her there a few years ago.  The first time I laid eyes on her, she walked directly across the sanctuary and climbed onto my lap without ever breaking eye contact.  She didn’t know my name, didn’t even know who I was and yet she was asleep in my arms within minutes. 

MacKenzie is being raised solely by her father.

And so, I am her Llama Mama.  I am the one who brushed her teeth this morning and the one who tucked her into bed last night.  I am, for the first time in my life, the giver of Goldfish crackers. 

But later this morning, I will take her back and leave her with her father until the next time we have a ‘girls only weekend.’  I already know that I will weep.

And, if you want to know the awful truth, I’m crying so hard right now that I can hardly type.  The desperate tears have already arrived and I think they’re here to stay for a few hours.

Because this is what He asked us to do — to love our God and to love others.  What He sacrificed for me is unspeakable, even unimaginable.  When I celebrate what today means, I want to respond first in gratitude but next in action.

And so, you and I are left to respond to His ultimate sacrifice in the small ways we know how.

We pick her up and take her to the zoo because she’s never seen the animals before.  We hold her hand when crossing the parking lot and keep holding it when we’re safely on the other side.  We brush her hair and tell her that it is just lovely. 

We wait until the bride walks down the aisle and then whisper to her that she will be the most beautiful bride in the world one day.  We order chocolate milk for her because it is a special ‘girls only’ day.  We buckle her into her car seat and kiss her forehead before shutting the door.

We answer her questions, all 4,216 of them.  We watch Playhouse Disney and have intense discussions about High School Musical.  We tell stories about Jesus when we’re in the car instead of answering the cell phone.

We take hundreds of pictures so that one day, she will know that someone wanted to remember her at this age.  That someone cared enough to fix her hair and iron her prettiest dress.  That someone set her atop the fence all so we could get the perfect picture.

Because she is important to Him, she has become important to me. 

And that, on this morning that shines brighter than any other morning, is my offering to You.  It is the holding of the girl who, when I tucked her into bed last night, asked me if I could be her mother even though I have chocolate hair and she has vanilla hair.  It is the tears I waited to cry until she had closed her eyes. 

It is giving up my vacation days and my free time and even a little bit of my heart all for a girl who will hopefully one day look at me and see You instead.

I have her, but you have your own MacKenzie in your life.  Let’s demonstrate the love that we so freely celebrate this morning.  And let’s start with those closest to us.