And the winner is.......

When it came down to what I wanted my business card to say about me, I had no choice but to pick card number one of the previous blog. I wanted the card to have a nice, simple, and elegant look which I believe portrays who I am.

Between VistaPrint and 123Print, I chose 123Print for my final design. Let's discuss the two sites for a bit. While VistaPrint had a wide variety of designs and styles to choose from, the shipping was a bit outrageous. If you didn't want to get your order for almost a month the cost is $5.67. For 14 days the cost is $9.52. For 7 days $13.68, and for 3 days $26.20. The site list the last price as "RUSH+".

Now I don't know about you, but to me it seems a bit silly that it would cost almost $30 dollars to "rush" a package that probably weighs one pound. Rush to me means the next day, not three days after I've placed my order. Over all I give VistaPrint a 5 out of 10 rating.

I'm sure you've figured out by now that I chose 123Print as the company that was privileged to have my business and my public endorsement. Like VistaPrint, 123Print has a wide variety of designs you can choose from without paying anything extra.
(Note: VistaPrint offers free business cards for 42 of it's designs. All you have to pay is shipping.) This give you a freedom to create whatever card design you like.

Now; unlike VistaPrint, 123Print's shipping is a bit more reasonable. They offer 7 to 14 days(1 day processing, plus 6-13 days First Class U.S. Postal Service) for $5.90.
3 to 7 Days (1 day processing, plus 2-6 days Standard Ground) for $8.31
3 Days Guaranteed (1 day processing, plus 2nd Day Air) for $15.84
2 Days Guaranteed (1 day processing, plus Next Day Air) for $34.80
Next Day Guaranteed (Same day processing, plus Next Day Air) for $41.80

$42 dollars for next day shipping is a bit ridiculous as well but it is next day so I will cut some slack for that. My overall rating for 123Print is 8 out of 10.

I say 8 out of 10 for the following reasons. One, the second shipping rate of $8.31 is reasonable for 3 to 7 days. Two, checkout was easy and somewhat painless after being asked about the six or seven different products I could get to go with my new business cards (VistaPrint's checkout is similar). And three I received my cards two days after I placed the order.

That is what I call service.

Why are business cards so important?

"No, I don't have my business card on me. I'll bring one in the next time I'm here." This is what I said to someone who asked for my business card last week. The fact that I lied and said I had one but didn't have one one me at the time, has made my mind frantic because of all the possible missed opportunities.

"Why are they so important anyway?" I of asked myself. I waited for an answer. After realizing that one wasn't going to come immediately, I then began to ponder about all the possible missed opportunities I've had at church, weddings, parties, corporate meetings and the like simply because I don't have any business cards! What have I been thinking?!?!

The following night I began searching frantically for business card companies online. The fact that I wanted to save money, have a great looking business card, and get them shipped to me fairly quickly, limited my search. I wanted to create my own card that showed people who I am.


After hours of scouring the internet and trying out different company sites I had to choose between two. I made cards at both sites, Vistaprint and 123Print.


I made custom ones. I tried the designs offered at both sites. I spent two hours pondering over which of the card designs said, "Hi, this is Keyton Kyles."

Of the four final designs I had to choose from, which do you think I picked?

Lessons In Grace

I think we all can benefit from the following lesson in grace. Enjoy

When you’re going through tough times, it can be hard to see God at work in your life. Sometimes you begin to question whether He’s really paying attention to your prayers. Sometimes you begin to question if He’s even there at all.

If you’re going through a tough time in your life right now, I want to encourage you that God is hearing your prayers. He does care. And He really is there. You may even find that God is at work doing the most important work He’s ever done in your life.

It was at such a time as this that Samuel Rutherford, a Scottish minister who was imprisoned for his faith back in the 1600’s, wrote to a friend about a truth he had discovered during that extremely difficult time. He wrote: “I see that grace growth best in winter.”

When I think of the people I know who are among the most gracious, I realize that they are often the people who have been through some of the hardest circumstances in life.

The Apostle Paul was one of those people. Even though he was frequently beaten, robbed, imprisoned and left for dead, Paul didn’t let those things crush his spirit. Instead, he put his faith in Christ even more. The more he suffered, the more he seemed to grow in grace.

Listen to how Paul described himself, both in terms of his own feelings of brokenness, and the grace that God had given him in his life:

“Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things” (Ephesians 3:8-9).

Compare this description of himself with two other descriptions he gave in two of his other letters.

The author J.I. Packer notes that in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, written about 54 AD, Paul referred to himself as “the least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9). By the time he wrote his letter to the Ephesians, about 7 years later in 61 AD, Paul called himself “the least of all God’s people” (Ephesians 3:8). But by the time he wrote his letter to Timothy, about 4 years after that in 65 AD, Paul described himself as the “chief of all sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

As Paul continued to walk with God through all those years of suffering, he went from considering himself as the least of the apostles, to the least of all God’s people, to the chief of all sinners. It seems that the closer he got to God, the more aware he became of his own sinfulness. No wonder his letters are so filled with grace, using the word “grace” over 80 times throughout his letters in the New Testament. He truly saw God’s grace at work in his own life and wanted to extend that grace to all those around him.

Paul knew the secret of how to handle suffering: keep looking up. Keep trusting in God to work things out for His glory. Paul said as much to the Ephesians, encouraging them to keep coming to God freely and confidently, not being discouraged by Paul’s own sufferings:

“In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory” (Ephesians 3:12-13).

Paul saw that his suffering was not in vain, but would serve God’s purpose in the end. As he wrote in his letter to the Romans:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Whatever you’re facing today, keep putting your faith in Christ. Keep trusting Him that He will work all things for your good as you continue to love Him, no matter how hard it may seem at the time. Grace, it seems, truly does grow best in winter.

--Eric Elder

Forgiving Ourselves to Forgive Others

"Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime; therefore, we must be saved by hope. Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any context of history; therefore, we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love. No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our standpoint. Therefore, we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness."

--Reinhold Niebuhr

There's been some interesting turn of events in my life as of late. None, however, to go run out and call the Calvary. This past week has been filled with drama, intrigue, frustration, joy, and a sort of pathological euphoria.

The drama and frustration came in the aspect of Christianity and the complications of certain ideas and beliefs on how our personal Small Group has been going. An eruption of emotion from all spectrums combined with a whole lot of miscommunication almost resulted in a cataclysmic disaster that could have equaled Hiroshima. Okay, that last bit could have been pushing it, but close.

Although a discussion happened I think that issues have not been totally settled but no one said this life was easy.

I find that once you learn to forgive yourself then you are free to forgive others. I have not forgotten the hope once had but sometimes I choose not to see it. I choose not to see that hope in myself and in other people. The week of drama with group has reopened my eyes to a lot of things and has gotten me to question what am I here for exactly.

We all get angry and say things at times that aren't best thought out. That's were forgiving ourselves comes into play so that we can forgive others. But I digress.

I met someone a couple weeks ago. That's where the intrigue factor comes into play. This is the first I've spoken of it and if you read this then you are the first to know. :-) I'm not going to say her name just in case someone who reads my blog happens to know her, which is highly unlikely. However, it's better to be safe than sorry.

On our initial meeting I found her to be absolutely amazing. Not only does she share the same beliefs I do, but other things about her and I are alike. I will refrain to say what just out of caution. I haven't felt so excited in a long time so I'm diving in head first.

Finally, my joy and pathological euphoria comes into play with the reunion of my old friend Greg Scheuermann. He was in town for a seminar and we got a chance to hang out a couple days catching up on life, love, and the happenings thereof.

It was truly a great few days to get to see him. I'd been looking for this kid for about four years or so and finally found him bigger (literally) and better than ever! After our time together he proposed I come move in with him in Detroit. To which I am giving deep consideration.

Until next time my friends. Be safe. More blogs to come often. Promise.

I can't believe this!!! Oh wait, this is America, nevermind!

After weeks of not having anything to write about or having anything worth writing about, I come upon a story that I simply cannot just read and not write about. An Ohio Christian school tells a student that he will be suspended if he took his girlfriend to her prom.

Tyler Frost a senior at Heritage Christian School in northwest Ohio, dared to challenge the school for his rights to do whatever he wanted to do during non school hours.

The school in turn suspended him for attending the dance, now he won't be allowed to take his final exams on time or graduate with the rest of his class. What the hell!?!

I'm sorry. I simply can't believe that a so called Christian school would threaten a student with such drastic action. This angers me to no end. This is yet another reason why so many Christians get heckled for being "radical" and "uptight".

The first story can be found here and the updated one here.

Okay....

"If I look at myself, I am depressed. If I look at those around me, I am often disappointed. If I look at my circumstances, I am discouraged. But if I look at Jesus, I am constantly, consistently, and eternally fulfilled!"

--Anonymous

For weeks now I've been filled with so much to blog about but due to certain circumstances I've not been able to. Now that I have access again to my blog, I have nothing to say. Just that the above quote is often how I feel daily.

Hopefully, I'll be back into the swing of things and let my thoughts flow once again. But right now I am empty. I have nothing.

Arrrgggghhh....

Sorry all for the lack of posting lately. I've not been able to access my blog on my computer, so I've not been able to write or post any new recipes I've been working on. I will try to rectify the situation soon. I'm using a puter in the library to type this now.

Hopefully, I'll have my PC working so that I can write in my blog. Until next time... eat healthy! :-)