Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids is a friendly, fun-focused salon designed for children. While mainly serving kids from their first haircut up to 13 years old, Sharkey’s also offers services for older kids and even adults. Every kids’ haircut comes with a wash, cut and dry, a balloon, and a lollipop. In addition, girls get a mini-cure and boys get BAM BAM sticks. Sharkey’s in Brook Highland Plaza has four Kiddie Stations that offer cars with lights and sounds as well as movies for the kids to watch. Other special features include three Xbox stations where the older kids (and adults) can play Xbox games, two tween stations for the older girls (and mom), two wash stations, and a glamour station for the mini-cure. Sharkey’s also offers a full line of kid-safe hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, styling gels, and pastes. Scented products like Jack’s Goofy Grape, Chester’s Cotton Candy, Vanilla Bean, Hot Chocolate, Birthday Cake and more are available. For more information about the salon or to schedule an appointment visit www.sharkeyscutsforkids.com or visit Sharkey’s on social media on Facebook or Instagram. â€
Join Our Favorite Recipes Virtual Event! It’s easier to savor your time at home with delicious new food and drink ideas to enjoy. That’s why we’ve asked our very own Brookdale Chef Joe Sciarrotta to demonstrate how you can recreate some of his favorite recipes. This free virtual experience is RSVP only, so email Leanne Messer at [email protected] to get Zoom access and more details about these events.
Social Time Continues! Brookdale Soda Shop.Brookdale University Park associates recently delivered coke float kits to all Brookdale residents to enjoy in their apartments. Complete with a coke, ice cream and all the fixings, many residents commented it was the first time they had enjoyed a coke float in many years and the experience brought back some great memories. The event is a part of Brookdale’s ongoing Friends for Life program.
Brookdale’s Covid-19 Response. We’re committed to providing the same high level of care we’re known for. You can feel confident in referring a friend, neighbor, or church member. In addition to following our existing community disease outbreak protocols, we continue to follow precautionary measures following guidance from the CDC, local health authorities and the Brookdale clinical team.
Join our Connecting Through Creativity Virtual Events. Fire up your computer or tablet and get ready for an online experience that will get your creative juices flowing no matter where you are. Were celebrating the joy of artistry with our Connect Through Creativity virtual event series. Enjoy lots of laughter and fun as you connect with your inner artist through classes on cooking, coloring and more! These free virtual experiences are RSVP only, so please email Leanne Messer at [email protected] to get Zoom access and more details about these events.
An Invitation to Experience Brookdale. Residents of Brookdale University Park enjoy an engaging lifestyle with a selection of care options to meet changing needs. The community conveniently located off Lakeshore Drive offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Call 205-870-0786 to connect with one of our team members who would be delighted to help you plan your personal visit, www.brookdale.com. â€
According to experts, whether you have a sliding or picture window in your home, it’s important that you keep it as clean as possible. This is because leaving your windows unattended can cause visibility issues that can prevent you from taking advantage of natural light. In essence, dirt not only reduces your windows’ lifespan but causes your energy bills to increase as well. Unfortunately, some homeowners tend to forget how often they should have their windows cleaned.
How often you should have your windows cleaned depends on a few factors. These include the season, your location, and even the weather of your area. While the general rule of thumb is that you should have your windows cleaned monthly, pollen season may force you to book a window and roofing contractor to clean your windows more often. If you live in an area where dirt and pollen aren’t as much of a problem, on the other hand, then you can clean your windows once every two months.
The benefits of having clean windows. As a homeowner, never underestimate clean windows, as they can bring many benefits to your home. For instance, they can easily boost your home’s curb appeal and property values, allowing you to sell your home for more if you ever decide to move out someday. Other than that, keeping your windows clean all the time can also extend its lifespan as the dirt won’t have any chance to build up to the point that it compromises the glass.
What to do when cleaning no longer works. Unfortunately, there may come a time when cleaning your windows will no longer remove any staining. When this happens, there’s nothing much you can do apart from having the windows replaced. Looking for local roofing companies who can also help you replace or clean your windows? Don’t hesitate to turn to Hinkle Roofing. When it comes to residential and commercial roofing services, we are the number one service provider to approach and you can count on us! Give us a call at 205-324-8545 to request a free estimate.
I realized the other day that all the homes I have lived in over my 50 plus years have all been on Dead Ends- five of them! As a young girl growing up in Homewood, our house was situated at the very end of a dead end street which made for a great gathering place for the neighbor kids. For my sons growing up, it was such a blessing not to have to worry about traffic as they road their bikes as a gang of boys up and down our dead end street.
What feels like and looks like a “dead end” in life often stops me in my tracks. It certainly slows me down. Could it be God is blessing me with a time to reflect and ask Him, “What’s next?” or “What do You think?” Could it be He is giving me an opportunity to trust Him to get me where I need to go despite what I perceive to be a “dead end” of circumstances? I think about my first real job out of college and how a turn of events suggested a “dead end” or at least a “detour” from my dream of a reporting career. Instead, it pushed me to interview for a reporting job in Chattanooga Tenn. where I could make mistakes on the air- not in my hometown- and come back home to a much better job at the same station that had rejected me. That’s a Dead End blessing!
What about you?
These last few months we have all faced circumstances that we would never imagine- maybe it has looked like a “Dead End.” Can you see a silver lining, a blessing in it? We would love to hear from you! Share with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or send us an email we can share.
TO SAY THANK YOU for reading and supporting the businesses and organizations that advertise with us and make spreading Good News possible, we have some Great Summer Giveaways for you and your family!
Can we define the creative child? What does a creative child look like? Is there just one flavor? Is there just one area of giftedness? Is there only one formula that always has the same outcome? I believe that the answer to all those questions is no. If creative means the ability or capacity of someone to create or produce something, then every one of our children would fit into that description. It’s not just talent, creative ability, or being a dreamer that defines a creative child, but also factors such as personality traits, environment, and spiritual gifts. Remember, you’re raising children, not robots. It takes a lot of time for you to study and know your children, to discover their unique characters, their gifts and talents, and then to teach them based on what you’ve learned.
One of the most important things we need to know is that each of us is a unique creation of God. In Psalm 139:14 we are told we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The Word also tells us that we are living stones, not bricks. Bricks are all the same size, but stones are all unique.
My son Andy once said, “I’m grateful for parents who encouraged dreaming, who realized that serving God could be out-of-the-box and creative. The Christian life was always framed for us as a great adventure. I didn’t realize it as a kid, but now, as an adult with children of my own, I see how many things my mom intentionally fostered in our lives that allowed us to find our purpose. I think she recognized the differences in each of her kids and allowed Jon and myself to find our unique callings as creatives and as people.”
When my sons were very young, I saw such wonderful traits unfolding in them, yet at the same time, I saw character issues that if left unbridled would one day rise up and destroy them. I had been taught that it was my job to work hard on taming the wild stallion that is such a part of all of us. Natural bents left to run free would destroy my sons, hurt others around them, and even destroy future generations. But if those same traits were brought under the control of the Master’s hand, they could be useful and would be the making of wonderful thoroughbreds.
After an honest look at them, fear could have filled my heart. Instead, I could hear Jesus speaking into it: “Shelia, bring the little children unto Me!” I began to learn that only Jesus could tame the inward man in my sons’ hearts. I also knew that He had called me to be their mom, and I was to be used in their lives by God to begin the work of transformation. He reminded me of what He said in James1:5. I learned that wisdom would be freely given to me if I just asked. So I prayed, “Here are my heart, my hands, my voice, and my mind. Please use me to parent my children, to bring them under your control, God.” In my journey of motherhood, I asked for wisdom, and God provided. He taught me how to nurture curiosity, creativity, and compassion. He will do the same for you if you ask.
-Sheila ErwinÂ
Author of Raising Up Dreamers, Shelia and her husband former State Senator Hank Erwin are the parents of Jon and Andy, the founders of  Erwin Brothers Entertainment and award-winning filmmakers of five major motion pictures: I Still Believe, October Baby, Moms’ Night Out, Woodlawn, and I Can Only Imagine.
“I love the fact that so many different groups and agencies are working together to connect generosity with need.” Micah Andrews, CEO The Foundry Ministries
Executive Director of Sav-A-Life Shelby, Bob Foust, recently received a very generous, unexpected gift from an unexpected source- another local ministry! Micah Andrews, CEO of The Foundry Ministries presented Sav-A-Life Shelby with $5000 in gift cards for their Foundry Thrift Store Pelham to be distributed to Sav-A-Life clients with physical needs. Foust shared how the gift cards will be a great addition to their “Earn While You Learn” program that rewards men and women who complete aspects of their parenting education program in Pelham to purchase items they need for their infants and themselves.
At the Foundry Thrift Store Pelham, Bob Foust, Executive Director of the ministry Sav-A-Life Shelby receives $5000 in Foundry Thrift Store Gift Cards from Foundry Ministries CEO Micah Andrews. The cards will be distributed to women and men served by Sav-a-Life Shelby.
The gift cards are a result of another gift given this spring to The Foundry’s Thrift Store Ministry as well as four other thrift store ministries in the Birmingham area, including The King’s Home, Vapor Ministries, the Lovelady Center and Sozo Children. Each of these ministries relies on its thrift stores to raise funds for their ministries and to serve families with affordable clothes and furniture. Due to the coronavirus, all of them were forced to cease store operations for many weeks when categorized as non-essential businesses.
At the time of the shut down, Tom Bradford, President of the National Christian Foundation (NCF) Alabama came up with a creative way to help. “The idea is to not only get some immediate cash to these ministries, but also do something to generate traffic when they can re-open,” says Bradford who set a goal to raise at least $100,000 in 10 days to purchase gift cards from the thrift stores to be redeemed when they re-open. The thrift store ministries agreed to sell the gift cards for 50% of value so that $100,000 would generate $200,000 in gift cards.
To date more than $120,000 has been raised through a special fund at NCF called “Alabama Covid-19 Relief Fund.” Under the leadership of Kevin Moore, Area Director of Mission Increase Central Alabama, an advisory committee administers the funds and sends checks to the thrift store ministries. None of the money has gone to Mission Increase or NCF for fees – 100% has and is going to the thrift stores.
“Working together allows us to unite in a unique way to serve and bless families all across our state,” says Micah Andrews, CEO Foundry Ministries of the opportunity to partner with Sav-A-Life Shelby and other ministries in the area by providing gift cards for families in need.
“During the early days of our quarantine season, The Foundry was the beneficiary of the generosity of the NCF which has enabled us to in turn work with other partnering agencies to bless those in need in numerous communities around Central Alabama,” shares Foundry CEO Micah Andrews whose ministry operates Thrift Stores in Pelham, Fairfield and Cullman. “We have been able to assist hundreds of families across Alabama by distributing thrift store gift cards for redemption in one of our three thrift locations.”
Kevin Moore reports that so far 130 different ministries in the area have received gift cards from the thrift stores to distribute to those individuals and families in the community they encounter who are in need. “I am blown away by the potential impact of this initiative regarding the large number of ministries that will be resourced with gift cards. I never anticipated that aspect of this project,” says Moore adding, “The implications of this level of outreach will be felt by a large number of Birmingham residents spread out over a large part of our region… God is at work!”
Donations can still be made to the Alabama Covid-19 Relief Fund at www.ncfgiving.com/alabama/covid. NCF will provide donors with a tax receipt.
Churches around the country and world dramatically adjusted when the coronavirus pandemic began. Due to safety precautions and social distancing guidelines, churches had to alter their typical church services to be online. Pastor Brandon Hudson of Crosscreek Baptist Church in Pelham, Ala. describes the process for his church as both “smooth and difficult with a very steep learning curve.”
CrossCreek Baptist Pastor, Brandon Hudson, credits his wife Jill with great ideas and wisdom as the church pivoted to online offerings.
On March 16, Pastor Hudson sent a letter to his congregation explaining that the church would be holding services online only for the foreseeable future. “It became rapidly apparent that the best way to care for each other was staying apart,” recalls  Hudson, adding that his immediate pastoral response was to protect his congregation. Even though the church would not be meeting in person, Pastor Hudson, with his wife, Jill, who is also a minister, started to brainstorm ways for the church to stay connected and engaged every day. “We’ve gone from pretty much nothing online to everything being digital,” Pastor Hudson reflects. The Crosscreek Baptist Church team aimed to find a balanced answer to the question, “How do we keep people connected while keeping them a part?” How are they doing this? By offering a Sunday church service that is available each Sunday morning, while also offering online Crosscreek Kids lessons. They have also organized Sunday night Zoom calls for their church youth and adult Bible study participants. The team also posts Crosscreek Connection four times a week, which are short devotionals. He emphasizes that none of this would have been possible without the help of church member volunteers, one of whom had years of experience producing videos for companies like ESPN.
Pastor Brandon Hudson of Crosscreek Baptist Church.
Pastor Hudson credits the church members for being patient and supportive of online services. Overall, he shares that church members have given positive feedback about their online experience, and some things learned and tested during the pandemic will continue going forward. When Crosscreek Baptist decides to hold in person services again, Pastor Hudson shares that they plan to continue livestreaming their services so more people can receive the message, particularly those who may not feel comfortable or able to meet in person. “My primary goal in whatever we do moving forward is that we don’t leave anyone behind.”
“Beware of Dog.” That’s a slogan you might see posted on the front porch of homes designed to scare off looters and intruders. Two-factor authentication is not much different than that ominous sign, placed there to ward off criminals. Known as 2FA, two-factor authentication is becoming increasingly important to keep the bad guys from accessing your important data or demanding ransomware. 2FA is the virtual dog guarding your business’ front door, a visual reminder that only trusted visitors are welcome.
Viewed as an annoyance, two-factor authentication is what more businesses are enabling to make sure accounts aren’t being hacked. You’ve likely already had to wade through 2FA when trying to log in a bank, your Google email account or PayPal. Companies send you a text after you’ve already typed in a username and password with a code that must be entered before you log in. While annoying, it is the best way to protect yourself from password hacks using the Internet to raid your accounts. At Sawyer Solutions, we recommend enabling two-factor authentication for as many platforms as possible.
Larger businesses aren’t immune to these kinds of attacks. Chinese hackers targeted American pharmaceutical and health-care firms in a bid to steal intellectual property related to coronavirus treatments and vaccines. U.S. officials say the intrusions may be jeopardizing progress on medical research.
At Sawyer Solutions, we find cybersecurity for all businesses is even more critical now than ever. A targeted attack or a random drive-by attack can easily happen to small businesses too. As the coronavirus spreads, so does the frequency of cyber-attacks.
We recommend taking seven steps to arm yourself against invaders:
Have a good, paid Antivirus APP
Keep your computer software up to date
Use complex and unique passwords
Have a cloud-based backup of your systems
Turn on data encryption for Macs or business class PCs
A bit about us: We are a family-owned and operated Birmingham-based Christian information technology company that delivers the highest level of expertise in I.T. compliance and cyber security services for businesses. We listen to your needs, customize your solutions and ensure you have timely, exceptional customer service tailored to fit your business.
Cyber security for small businesses can be overwhelming. Sawyer Solutions wants you to keep yourself safe from harm. Let us help keep your businesses safe from invaders. Our team is happy to sit down with you to help. The first consultation is free.
Go on an adventure in your living room with the Birmingham Zoo! The Zoo is launching a virtual series of family programming that guests can access from home. Zoo Educators lead Virtual Story Safari and Digital Discovery Adventures at various times Monday-Friday.
For families of younger children, the Virtual Story Safari features an animal and conservation related picture book. In addition, viewers can watch a short video lesson containing exclusive footage of some of the Zoo’s amazing animals. Digital Discovery Adventures are web-based classes for grades 3-12, geared to connect students to the Zoo in a more in-depth and engaging way. Curriculum in each session aligns with both state and national learning standards. “At this time, we are continuing to provide tangible, enjoyable resources for the community,” said Kate Davis, School Programs Manager. “We know our guests and supporters are missing the animals. These programs digitally fill that void, enabling them to still have a fun and engaging experience with their Zoo.” For more information on how to register for Virtual Story Safari($10 per family) and Digital Discovery Adventures($15 per student), visit birminghamzoo.com/family-programs. â€
Engage virtually with the animals at the Birmingham Zoo through their Virtual Story Safari!
Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids is a friendly, fun-focused salon designed for children. While mainly serving kids from their first haircut up to 13 years old, Sharkey’s also offers services for older kids and even adults. Every kids’ haircut comes with a wash, cut and dry, a balloon, and a lollipop. In addition, girls get a mini-cure and boys get BAM BAM sticks. Sharkey’s in Brook Highland Plaza has four Kiddie Stations that offer cars with lights and sounds as well as movies for the kids to watch. Other special features include three Xbox stations where the older kids (and adults) can play Xbox games, two tween stations for the older girls (and mom), two wash stations, and a glamour station for the mini-cure. Sharkey’s also offers a full line of kid-safe hair care products including shampoos, conditioners, styling gels, and pastes. Scented products like Jack’s Goofy Grape, Chester’s Cotton Candy, Vanilla Bean, Hot Chocolate, Birthday Cake and more are available. For more information about the salon or to schedule an appointment visit www.sharkeyscutsforkids.com or visit Sharkey’s on social media on Facebook or Instagram. †
Brought to you by: Community Partner Hinkle Roofing, 
