Devotions for Sports Lovers

October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Best Books

Alabama Devotions
Title Town, USA! Few cities in sports have been able to claim that nickname. Boston. Pittsburgh. Green Bay. Add Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to that list!

With more than five NCAA national championships since 2009, the Alabama football team certainly deserves its spot among the greatest in sports history. And, of course, Bama fans love to relive the glory moments—long runs by a star running back, deep passes from a Heisman-winning quarterback, key stops by an All-American defender. Relive some of those key plays and pivotal moments in Alabama Devotions and let award-winning sportswriter Del Duduit show you something deeper about each. You’ll discover there is more than just victory on the football field. These forty devotions highlight a memorable biblical or spiritual lesson in each play dear to the hearts of Bama fans.

Auburn Devotions
With a winning percentage that ranks among the top fifteen in college football history, Auburn has given its fans much to cheer about for more than one hundred years. Two NCAA championships. More than 15 conferences titles. Nearly eight hundred wins. Three Heisman trophy winners. With good reason, fans love their Tigers. They win- and win often. In Auburn Devotions, Duduit will show you there’s more than just victory on the football field. These forty devotions highlight a memorable biblical or spiritual lesson in each play dear to the hearts of Tigers fans.
Whether you shout Roll Tide or War Eagle, grab your foam finger and relive your favorite plays with an added biblical twist in Alabama Devotions or Auburn Devotions.†

Del Duduit is an award-winning sportswriter and author. He blogs weekly at www.delduduit.com. Alabama Devotions and Auburn Devotions are available at www.ironstreammedia.com.

April 7, 2023October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Miracle Moments

Brought to you by: Molly Maid of Birmingham, www.mollymaid.com/birmingham

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Leavy Riddlespur school photo — Leavy arrived at Big Oak Ranch when he was a child and continues to pour into other children at the Ranch today.

Before arriving at Big Oak, the circumstances that surrounded Leavy Riddlespur were grim. Nothing was constant as he had to see, hear and experience many things no child should ever have to. At the age of 10, Leavy lost his biological mother to cancer. After his mother passed, he was removed from the home of his father and placed at Big Oak Ranch.

Like many children who first come to Big Oak, the light in his eyes had been dimmed. But, when he came to Big Oak, Leavy was quickly able to receive the structure and love, the stability and constant assurance that he would be taken care of. Leavy still remembers his very first Christmas at Big Oak, the Christmas that opened his eyes to the hope that was set before him. “During my very first Christmas, it snowed on Christmas Day. My favorite Big Oak Christmas was that first one- full of the gifts of getting to know my new family and playing football in the snow,” Leavy says, adding, “From that day on, I knew there would always be something for me on Christmas. I knew I could always trust my houseparents and those taking care of me.” Christmas would never look the same for Leavy, now that his home was at the Ranch. Nor would his life, as he began to experience the Light of the World. Today, when you show Leavy his original placement photo, his eyes light up. When you talk of his Ranch siblings and his role as older brother still, his eyes light up. When he comes home to the Ranch to spend weekend visits and holidays with his Ranch family, his eyes light up. As he pours into the children who currently call Big Oak home, his eyes light up. As he and his wife raise their son to know the true Hope of Christmas, his eyes light up.

At Big Oak, the Light of the World brings light to the eyes of children who have been hurt. The dim past of each child is met with the Light of a God who redeems, who reworks and who restores all evil with good. This year, the children who call Big Oak home will experience Christmas just as Leavy once did. They will open and receive the gifts of family, of belonging, of unconditional and unreserved love. They will be forever molded and transformed through the days of joyfully celebrating the birth of Christ. Learn more about Big Oak Ranch at www.bigoak.org.

-Brodie Croyle

President & CEO of Big Oak Ranch

If you have a Miracle that you would be willing to share, please email [email protected]. Subject Line: Miracle Moments or call 205-408-7150.

December 1, 2022October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

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Money Matters

Brought to you by: OneAscent Wealth, www.oneascentwealth.com

“I want to go to the jump place!” Our three-year-old son loves a trampoline park and often expresses his love with this simple statement. Bless his little heart, he’s yet to develop the categories of what the trip costs and how often we can go based on said cost.

Most kids head into adulthood without a good understanding of money, but it does not have to be that way. As parents, we can teach our kids stewardship by orienting their hearts toward a world that is bigger than just their desires. Here are three ways parents can teach children the value of the dollar and start them on a path toward wisdom, stewardship, and generosity.

1. Let kids help budget for a family vacation. When kids think about a big family vacation, they picture endless entertainment. Putting a tangible value on rides, shows, and meal costs can help kids set realistic expectations and prevent the trip from turning into a spending spree. As a family, make a bottom-line budget for your trip. Then sit down and make line items. Start with essentials: gas, hotels, and park admissions. Add in the cost of meals at a destination restaurant. As the leftovers from your top budget number shrink, your kids will see how additional spending changes the substance of the trip.

2. Help kids set short-term and long-term financial goals. Buying everything your kid points to any time you go shopping can form a certain thought in your child’s mind. “I can have what I want when I want.” The next time your child eyes a new toy, talk to them about what that toy costs and how the child can help pay. A couple of extra chores might help the child appreciate the connection between work, money, and spending.

3. Encourage kids of all ages to earn money. A part-time job for a teenager is a great way to create a mindset of stewardship. They are paid a wage based on the labor they provided. Help them open a bank account for depositing those wages. Begin talking with them about saving, giving, and investing early.

Our great hope for our children is they would be fellow inaugurators of God’s kingdom. How they steward their money is an important component of their journey. When your children get a little older, consider bringing them into our office for a meeting. We can reinforce this idea of stewardship to your kids by talking through basic investing and savings principles all with the hopes they would view money as a gift to steward rather than a resource to exhaust.

-John Beatty

Advisor at OneAscent Wealth

205-313-9142, [email protected]

Investment advice offered through OneAscent Wealth Management, LLC, a registered investment adviser with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Brookdale University Park Clare Bridge Crossings

Brookdale University Park Clare Bridge Crossings is a stepping stone between home or Assisted Living and Clare Bridge Memory Care. It is designed to support those living with early-stage Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

Senior Scene Brookdale Progress photo bathtub — Take a look at the exciting progress for Brookdale’s Clare Bridge Crossings living space.

Clare Bridge Crossings is based on a growing body of research that shows that a structured program of cognitive workouts, regular and varied physical exercise, and increased social interaction may help to slow the decline of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Innovative engagement provides an opportunity to “stretch to improve” cognitive skills, and a daily routine of programs, including a specially designed exercise program, helps residents stay socially connected, engaged and more confident in their abilities.

Staying Active at Brookdale

Brookdales gym — The newly renovated gym/spa at Brookdale’s Independent Living is open now. Residents are staying in shape with the help of the new equipment and a beautiful space to stay active.

Residents of Brookdale’s Independent Living are now enjoying a newly renovated gym/spa area. The Brookdale staff en- courages an active lifestyle for their senior residents because keeping in shape physically helps keep them in shape mentally. Brookdale seniors are very active and get to enjoy new exercise equipment to help them reach their health goals.

Experience the Joy of the Season at our Holiday Open House

Celebrate the season with Brookdale University Park as we rekindle the magic that makes this time of year so special. It’s a perfect opportunity to create new memories with those you hold dear. Make plans now to attend.

Thursday, December 1, 2022, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Santa, Carriage Rides, Refreshments, Entertainment, and Community Tours. 400 University Park Drive, Homewood, AL 35209, 205-870-0786

An Invitation to Experience Brookdale

We would like to invite you to be- come a Brookdale resident! Brook- dale residents enjoy an engaging lifestyle with a selection of care options to meet changing needs. The community is conveniently located off Lakeshore Drive and offers a full continuum of care, including In- dependent 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.

October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

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Healthy Living

Families of the addicted get sick too. Many family therapists have written volumes on the codependency of family members who have a loved one riddled with addiction. Numerous books have been written exploring the damage done to families due to alcoholism and other addictions including drugs, gambling, sex, and even food. The following is a scenario that has been given to me several times throughout my career as a therapist:

Addiction One Day at a Time with Jesus — Learn a protocol to wellness for families of loved ones addicted to opioids from authors Barry Chesney and Cathy Napier during November at Valleydale Church.

It’s another sleepless night as I pick up my cell phone. The time is 2:40 a.m. and there’s still no text from her. I’ve conditioned myself to listen intently for the notification ding. The only communication I would receive indicating she was alive was a text, never a phone call. My daily mantra, whenever I received this text, was, “She’s drug-free. She’s alive.” But when the texts stopped again, unfortunately, I knew she had relapsed—or worse, was dead. How many times have we reported her missing? How many times have we stayed home instead of roaming the streets looking for her? We knew she was running with the wrong crowd. We knew that she was shooting up heroin. And we were in a state of terror most of the time. She’s twenty-four years old. I can’t ground her or spank her. I can’t put her in time-out or take her phone away. I can only hope and pray for her protection…

In November, Valleydale Church is hosting workshops designed for families with addicted loved ones with Cathy Napier and Pastor Barry Chesney. Chesney and Napier have written a workbook, Addiction: One Day at a Time with Jesus that approaches addictions with both a biblical and psychological protocol for wellness. Learn a protocol for wellness for families of addicted loved ones on November 2, 9, 16, and 30 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Valleydale Church’s Worship Center. Attendees will learn:

1. How to stage an intervention for immediate help.

2. How to use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy along with God’s word for their benefit during difficult times.

3. How to use journaling for their benefit.

4. How to communicate positively with their family members. And more!

Learn more about these events at www.valleydale.org/midweek.

-Cathy Napier

October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Healthy Living

This time of year brings many wonderful things such as cozy gatherings with loved ones, warm fires, and delicious food. Unfortunately, it also brings along coughs, sneezes, and sniffles. At such a busy time of the year, getting sick can really put a damper on your holiday plans. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and energized this season.

Develop healthy lifestyle habits.

Get adequate sleep. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Our immune system is most active at night while it focuses on recovery and developing immune memory.
Eat a colorful diet. Having a balanced diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in simple sugars will help ensure you’re getting nutrients that can boost immunity and decrease inflammation in your body.
Exercise. Many studies have found that exercise protects against viral infections, including influenza, the common cold, and COVID.
Reduce your stress. Too much stress, especially for prolonged periods of time, can significantly lower your immune system. I often find that changing my perspective and finding gratitude can help me stay positive.

Practice healthy hygiene.

Wash your hands often. Up to 80% of communicable diseases are spread through touch, so strive to keep your hands free of germs!
Refrain from touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Keep your hands moisturized. Dry, cracked hands compromise our first line of defense against infections – our skin.
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Be sure to cough or sneeze into your elbow to keep your hands clean.

Dietary supplements provide additional support.

Zinc. This essential mineral is not naturally made by the body, so it must be obtained through diet or supplementation. It regulates immune functions, has antioxidant activity, and helps maintain a balanced inflammatory response within your immune system.
Vitamin C. A recent study shows over 40% of the population is deficient in vitamin C. Vitamin C supports a variety of immune system functions, and it’s also necessary for the production of collagen. Collagen is an essential protein that’s necessary to heal and repair the body.
Vitamin D. This all-star hormone helps modulate the immune system – ramping up defense when necessary and calming the immune response when its work is done.
Melatonin. While typically associated with sleep, this hormone also has a powerful influence on our immune system and generally supports innate immunity.
Probiotics. A staggering 70% of the immune system resides in the gut. Probiotics are good bacteria that naturally inhabit our digestive system. Our immune system and the good bacteria that live in our gut work together to support a healthy immune response.
Quercetin. This nutrient is commonly found in fruits and vegetables. Quercetin helps the body maintain a healthy, stabilized immune response when facing illness. As a potent antioxidant, it also helps protect against the damage that can occur in our cells from infections.

-Joseph Feick, Pharm.D.

Owner, Double Oak Mountain Pharmacy

www.DoubleOakMountainRX.com

205-991-0800

October 26, 2022October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

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Home for the Holidays

Is your vinyl siding looking old and worn? Iron City Power Washing Inc. may be able to revitalize it for you. We’re a trusted provider of soft washing services in the Hoover, Mountain Brook, Leeds and Homewood, Ala. areas with a proven reputation. We can help you freshen your home for the holidays whether you have hardieboard siding, stucco, dryvit, tongue and groove siding, brick, or shingle and metal roofs.

Iron City Power Washing before and after driveway — Check out the before and after for this residential driveway.

We can also keep your driveways, sidewalks and walkways free of dirt and grime with our power washing services. Our team uses commercial-grade equipment to complete jobs efficiently, provide quick turnaround times, and give your surfaces the best clean possible. We also power wash porches and patios. Our team can completely get rid of all algae, mold and dirt from your concrete services, making them look like new again. You might be surprised by just how quickly we can complete the job.

Iron city owners — Iron City Power Washing is owned by Alabama natives Tyler Peppers and Scott Lett.

Iron City Power Washing Inc. is committed to operating under honest values that are aimed toward exceeding clients’ expectations for exterior cleaning. Iron City Power Washing is dedicated to superior exterior cleaning services. This is achieved through exceptional customer service, honest pricing, on-time service, hard work, and top-grade commercial equipment. Satisfied customers are our highest priority. Iron City Power Washing’s relationship with our clients begins on the first day of contact and strives to maintain long-term customer loyalty. To learn more, visit www.ironcitypowerwashing.com. †

October 26, 2022October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Legal Matters

presented by: Frank S. Buck P.C., Personal Injury

You may have heard that it is mandatory in Alabama to have a minimal liability auto insurance policy. That means drivers are supposed to carry at least $25,000 of liability insurance by Alabama state law. However, a large percentage of drivers on the Alabama roads still drive daily without any insurance. We have cases coming in on a regular basis with serious injuries and auto collisions, where the person that caused the wreck had no liability insurance. That is where the difference of liability insurance and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage comes into play. Liability insurance protects other people if you cause a wreck and injure another person. However, if another driver hits you and either does not have enough injury to compensate you for your injuries or does not have insurance at all, that is when your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage will pay for your injuries and medical bills.

In Alabama if you purchase liability coverage, uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory on your policy unless you specifically reject it in writing. You should never reject it. Also, in today’s internet world, an application to buy auto insurance is right at your fingertips. You never meet an agent in person and you electronically sign these policies. Many people reject uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage because it adds a minimal amount to their premium, but do not realize what it is for. You do not need to reject it in person or online! Carefully read your policies and know what you are getting and paying for. A Typical Rejection of uninsured/uninsured motorist coverage on a policy looks like this. Do Not Sign It!

Rejection of UM/UIM Coverage:

Uninsured motorist coverage pays for medical expenses and injures caused by a driver with no liability insurance up to the amount of policy limits you pay for. Underinsured motorist coverage carries the same amount of policy limits that you pay for as uninsured motorist coverage, but will pay for injuries and medical expenses that you incur from a wreck caused by a driver with liability insurance limits less than the amount of your injuries and damages.

I have read the above explanation of Uninsured/Underinsured Coverage in its entirety.

___________ I reject Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage in its entirety.

_____________________ _______________________

Applicant/Named Insured Policy Number

_____________________ _______________________

Signature Date

There is a common misconception that this coverage is expensive and unnecessary and therefore, many people choose to reject it. The cost difference of your monthly premium to add this insurance coverage to your policy is not very expensive compared to the benefits of having this coverage. For example, you may be able to pay for $50,000 of uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, for an extra $10 on your monthly premium. Uninsured motorist coverage is the only way you will be compensated if you are injured by a person who failed to keep insurance on their automobile.

-Frank S. Buck, P.C., Attorneys at Law have been offering professional legal services and serving Alabama citizens for over 45 years. We have experienced trial attorneys who have over 100 years of combined trial experience. You can reach us 24 hours a day at (205) 933-7533. Please call us for a free consultation. Visit us at www.franksbuckpc.com.

Click Here To Learn How To Reach A Christian Audience in Alabama.

October 26, 2022October 26, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Our House

Are you looking to get your home organized for the holidays and the new year? A Better Closet can help with custom-built organization and home-storage solutions for anything from home-offices and mudrooms to laundry rooms and, of course, closets.

The process starts with an in-home appointment to evaluate the homeowner’s space and desires, Robert Duff, owner of A Better Closet, says. Next, a computer-generated plan for the space is created and presented to the homeowner. With the customer’s approval, A Better Closet custom cuts each piece for the space. “Usually an entire project takes seven to 10 days from the time they call us to when it’s finished,” Duff said. “It’s a quick turnaround.”

Each of A Better Closet’s custom-built projects is designed to maximize storage space using shelves, drawers, cabinets, islands and hanging features. “A regular closet has that wire-type shelving,” Duff explains, adding, “Sometimes we can go in and double or triple the amount of storage space in the closet.” A Better Closet’s custom built components are not only “much more heavy-duty” than what is found in a typical closet, but they are also “all 100 percent adjustable,” allowing the homeowner to change the design as needed or remove it.

Our House A Better Closet Closet Picture2 — A Better Closet serves the greater Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Florida panhandle and neighboring towns and cities.

A Better Closest wants your home to look its best and maximize every inch of space to increase your home’s storage potential and value. Whether you want to make the most of a walk-in closet, custom storage, kitchen pantry or home office A Better Closet can help. And the work is 100% guaranteed for the life of your home. The locally owned family operated business based in Calera serves the greater Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Florida panhandle and neighboring towns and cities. For more information about A Better Closet, visit www.abettercloset.net or call 205-621-1638. †

October 27, 2022October 18, 2022 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

This holiday season, Community Grief Support (CGS) is celebrating the lives of those we’ve loved and lost in our community. At a time when there has been such exacerbated grief due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other losses, the Homewood community is finding hope and healing in an uplifting and positive way.

Save the date for the “Tree of Lights” event on November 20 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

The “Tree of Lights” Memorial, taking place in November and December, will honor our late loved ones with the lighting of a 12-foot holiday tree in Homewood’s Central Park. In addition to the memorial tree, this year we will celebrate with an official “Tree of Lights” event on Sunday, November 20 from 3:30-5:30pm at Homewood Central Park. The family and pet-friendly event will include Santa and Mrs. Claus, caroling, refreshments, and a bounce house. “We believe that the “Tree of Lights” will bring the community of Homewood and Birmingham together to provide a much-needed memorial and balm for our losses,” said Catherine Pittman Smith, Administrative Director of Community Grief Support. Sponsor a light on the “Tree of Lights” by making a donation at different levels and receive gifts to commemorate lost loved one(s):

$25 donation. Illuminates one memorial light and sponsorship card will be sent to up to three addresses.

$75 donation. Same as $25 donation, plus an antique gold memorial ornament calligraphed with the loved one’s name.

$100 donation. Same as $25 donation, plus a hand built memorial luminary to light in honor of the loved one.

Hope for the Holidays community workshops will take place on Saturdays throughout November. Register for these free workshops at www.communitygriefsupport.org.

All proceeds go to provide completely free individual, couples and family grief counseling; loss-specific grief support groups; and community grief education programs such as the annual community service program, Hope for the Holidays. This year, CGS is hosting four free Hope for the Holidays community workshops throughout Birmingham on November 5, 12, and 19 from 9-11:30 a.m. A virtual option is available on November 5. These programs are designed to prepare you for your first holiday season without your loved one. This year’s speakers include bereavement care expert and counselor Steve Sweatt, LPC/LMFT and Pastor Leanne Reed from Southminster Presbyterian Church. The speakers will provide information on coping tips such as planning ahead for your holiday season, informing others of your needs, and more. At the seminar, participants will be given an outline for making your own holiday plan so that you are more prepared for dealing with the feelings you will experience. You’ll also receive a keepsake booklet with ways to memorialize their loved one. For more information about Hope for the Holidays or the “Tree of Lights” and to register, call CGS at 205-870-8667 or visit www.communitygriefsupport.org. †

Devotions for Sports Lovers

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