It’s Halloween weekend with Florida-Georgia thrown in OR is it Florida-Georgia weekend with a Halloween twist? However you look at there is lots to see and do this weekend in San Marco.

Shop: for the ultimate tailgating outfit at Olive. With Florida-Georgia bracelets and dresses, Olive proves women can be stylish while supporting the home team.

Learn: Market in the Square is featuring a cooking demonstration hosted by of Tidbits. Market in the Square will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday in Balis Park and the cooking demonstration will be a10:00 a.m.

Tailgate: at the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party. Right across the river from our neighborhood, Florida-Georgia at 3:30 p.m.

Trick-or-Treat: get the kids, get the costumes and go trick-or-treating. Or stay home and hand out candy to all the ghosts, cowboys, superheroes and princesses haunting the streets of San Marco.

Go Florida! Go Georgia! Happy Halloween!

Market in the Square is open from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. this Saturday. The highlight of the morning will be the cooking demonstration by Clara LeBlanc from iconic San Marco lunch spot, Tidbits. Clara will be showing off her culinary skills at 10:00 a.m. in the Gazebo.

Kids can get an early start on Halloween at Market in the Square. All children in costume will be entered in a drawing for spooktacular prizes.

Saturday’s vendors:

Tidbits

GoGreenProduce

Reed’s Citrus

Maria’s Baked Goods

Blue Plant Co-op

Cross Creek Honey

Boylan Soda

Dazed and Confused Succulent Plants

Jaxma Orchids

Green Schemes

and more………

Market in the Square, Saturday, October 31st

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Balis Park

by Dale Tedder

Ezra 7:6 – this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

Ezra 7:9-10 – He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him. [10] For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

You may not know much about Ezra, though you’ve probably heard of him. He has a book of the Old Testament named after him. For me, he exemplifies much of what I believe my own purpose is as a pastor. More than that, however, I believe he’s a model for all Christians.

Ezra was a descendent of Moses’ brother, Aaron, the chief priest. Ezra was a teacher, we’re told, who was well versed in the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6). The end of verse 9 tells us that the hand of God was on Ezra. Why? Because, according to verse 10, Ezra “devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord as well as to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.”

In other words, Ezra passionately STUDIED God’s Word, LIVED God’s Word, and TAUGHT God’s Word to others.

A pastor, or any Christian for that matter, must first STUDY God’s Word. This is obvious. This is where the pump is primed and fresh water is poured into the soul. This is where the renewing of the mind takes place so that it will become fertile ground for transformation later.

This leads to the next point – LIVING God’s Word. If you don’t believe the teachings of God’s Word and are not practicing it’s laws and principles each day, then one might ask why you are studying it in the first place. The Word of God makes us wise for salvation, teaches us, rebukes us, corrects us, trains us in righteousness so that we may become thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:15-17). We don’t study it to win Bible trivia contests or to impress our congregations. We study it so that we might become more and more like Christ.

But Ezra did more than study it and live it – He TAUGHT it. He passed along his knowledge to others. He added value to their lives from what he learned. And it’s the fact that he did faithfully study it and live (or practice) it that brought credibility and integrity to his teaching. You see, the goal of any disciple of Jesus Christ is to reproduce himself in the lives of others. This is accomplished through learning what it means to be a disciple of Christ, faithfully living that calling out each day, and then passing it along to others. It’s what I call “pouring your life into another person.” Jesus put it this way in the gospel of John,

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. (John 12:24)

In a sense, we die to ourselves as we diligently study God’s Word, conform ourselves to it’s standards, and pass it along to others – even at personal cost. But any sacrifice offered is more than worth it because, as Jesus put it, it produces many seeds.

How do we pass along God’s Word to others? This can be done in a variety of ways. You can teach others God’s Word from the pulpit, in a classroom, in a hospital room, in a counseling session, over lunch with a friend, around the family table at breakfast or dinner, or written correspondence. The list could go on and on.

Finally, I love how Ezra did all of this. The text says he devoted himself to it. He gave his life to it. He was committed to God’s Word in all of its life-transforming fullness. And because he was so devoted, we learn that God’s hand was on him. God has appointed his Word as a primary means of grace (as it works with his Spirit) whereby we are enabled to intimately know God and his Son Jesus Christ, know about the character, attributes, and works of God, learn how to love and serve God, discover how to become more Christlike in our daily lives, as well as how to spend eternity with him.

God’s Word: Know It – Live It – Teach It To Others.

Not a bad purpose statement for all of us. I want to be like Ezra. How about you?

Stand Firm,

Dale

Recently we were shocked to hear the Alhambra Dinner Theatre was opening again on December 1st. It seemed when the Alhambra shut its doors two months ago that dinner theater would no longer be present in Jacksonville. Then there was the confusing news that Matthew Medure would be preparing the food at the re-opened Alhambra. Matthew Medure and dinner theater. It just doesn’t seem to fit. The food will be prepared at one of Medure’s restaurants and brought to the Alhambra. Food will be modeled after the dishes served at Medure’s San Marco hot spot, TAG. Matthew Medure headlining the Alhambra. Sounds like an interesting pairing.

 Hendricks Avenue Elementary students who participate in the Leaders of Tomorrow or L.O.T.S. program are sponsoring a Poinsettia plant sale.  Help support this student fundraiser and purchase your holiday Poinsettia for ten dollars per plant.  Place your orders by Tuesday, November 4^th and pick them up on Friday, December 4^th.                  

Contact Jenny Foster at 710- 7088 or thefosterband@bellsouth.net to order your plants.

 For orders of 25 or more, they will deliver to your business.

Drop by Market in Square on Saturday for fresh produce and delicious baked goods.  Note the time has changed from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Enjoy strolling the square and visiting neighbors. Some of our selected vendors include:

GoGreenProduce

Reed’s Citrus

Maria’s Baked Goods

Dazed and Confused Succulent Plants

PlantWorks

Jaxma Orchids

and more………

Gallery Framery hosted a student art show to showcase summer art contest entries in conjunction with Jennie Szaltis student exhibit.  Twenty San Marco students participated in the Mysanmarco.com Summer Art Contest.  Best of Show was awarded to Andrew Lopez, second grader at Hendricks Avenue Elementary.

Andrew Lopez pictured with his "Best of Show" abstract art piece.

Local artist Jennie Szaltis jurored  the show, “I was extremely impressed with all of the wonderful art pieces.  We have a talented group of students in our community.”  Art pieces included three dimensional sculpture, an interactive game made of clay, paintings and drawings.

Ryan Buckly, owner of Gallery Framery, enjoys celebrating local artists, “We have so much local talent here in Jacksonville.  The gallery represents a number of artists and hosts shows regularly.  It’s always fun to have a student show.  Children have such unrestrained imaginations that is communicated through their art.” 

Ryan with Andrew, Matthew and Christina Lopez

Thanks to all of the young artists for participating in mysanmarco.coms first Summer Art Contest.  

Student artists included: Gina Bazon, Erin Elkins, Landon Ellis, Austin Evans, Regan Foote, Megan Fryman, Avery Johns, Will Knecht, Andrew Lopez, Christina Lopez, Caroline Medley, Alyssa Price, Dorothy Poucher, Reagan Sheffield, Christiana Sierra, Gillian Vaughan.

See the photo gallery for more  pictures from the event. Mysanmarco.com also thanks YesYouCanvas, Doing Dishes, Creative Pet Portraits and Dunkin Donuts for gift certificate donations.

Gallery Framery is located at 1718 Hendricks Avenue; check the website for a calendar of events at www.galleryframery.com.

III Lions gift shop in the square is hosting “Cookies for the Cure” on Saturday, October 17th from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.  Ten percent of daily sales will be donated to the Vera Bradley Foundation for breast cancer. 

Visit III Lions and other San Marco shops after the Market in the Square.

Market in the Square is back this Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until
12:00 p.m. Join us in Balis Park as we welcome local vendors
offering fresh produce, delicious baked goods, plants and much
more.  It will be an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning in
the neighborhood, do a little shopping, talk to some neighbors,
all without having to drive somewhere.
 
This week’s vendors:
Go Green Fresh Produce
Maria’s Bakery
Green Schemes
Jaxma Orchids
Floral Inspirations
Reed’s Citrus
PlantWorks

…and more.  Don’t miss Stanton College Prep’s dramatic
performance of 1776 at 10:00 in the Gazebo.

Sign-up for a rain barrel or a composter. Not only are they good
for the environment but a small percentage of the sales will be
donated to the San Marco Preservation Society.

Market in the Square
Saturday, October 17, 2009
8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Balis Park

Focus on Health and Beauty

Thai Foot Reflexology is the ultimate full mind/body experience. After experiencing this massage technique, I was amazed by the full body effect. Thai Foot Reflexology is an ancient art form of healing that is an integral part of traditional Thai massage. It is a treatment for the lower legs and feet that utilizes stretching, massage and thumb-walking to stimulate reflex points.

I have always been drawn to holistic approaches to human health and psyche.  As I learned about and experienced Thai Foot Reflexology, I became intrigued by its origins and theoretical premise.  Medical tradition in the Asian culture asserts that reflex or response points on and within the soles of the feet are aligned with the overall well-being of the entire human body.  Eastern cultures believe that the legs act as a second heart. Increased muscle movement and stimulation of feet and legs increases essential circulation of the blood, thereby maintaining and improving overall health.

After experiencing a 70 minute session of Thai Foot Reflexology from Amber Parrish, licensed massage therapist at MAC Hair Studio, I could feel the immediate therapeutic value, which seemed to intrinsically confirm the physiology benefits. It is truly a body, mind and spirit experience.

 A typical session begins with a warm foot bath, in my case it was a warm foot bath of lemongrass sea salt.  The subtle aroma of lemon and the ambiance of the studio were immediately comforting. Amber recommends wearing appropriate clothing so the therapist has easy access to the lower leg and knee. As the massage techniques were applied to each foot in a methodical and almost rhythmic manner, I experienced an immediate sense of calm.  At the end of the session, I felt that my entire body was physically recharged. 

 For more information on Thai Foot Reflexology and other massage techniques, contact Amber Parrish at 904-399-2280 or www.machairstudio.com.