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The Rose Garden – Tyler TX

January 19th, 2010

There is a rose garden in Tyler, TX that has been a part of the history of this cities making. Since 1952 this municipal rose garden as served as a tourist attraction that brings in most of the business Tyler has gotten over the years, excluding oil. 

Tyler Texas Rose Garden

Tyler Texas Rose Garden

 Each year there is a festival, a queen crowned, duchesses chosen and tourists from far and wide bringing with them the business this town prepares for every year. Hotels are sold out, the roads are clogged and the restaurants are full every evening. What a paradise for money making and beauty seeking.

But here is my concern. Why is the garden so special? Roses are pretty, I like them, but I’ve seen prettier ones. I’ve walked through the garden and I’m not impressed. It’s not even the roses that are the problem. Its the landscape. If my artistic eye serves me right I think the design could be more appealing than we’re letting it. The fountains are typical and 60’s. The lay out doesn’t say anything new and there are no surprises. Maybe if I looked from a bird’s eye view there would be something intended to be eye-catching… but I’m not a bird and neither is anyone else paying money to see it.

Where is the vibrant life of color and excitement a garden is supposed to engulf me with? My favorite gardens draw me in, invite me to look close, and adventure my way through. But this makes me feel like I’m still in the office and have not escaped. Does anyone know what I’m talking about? Tyler Rose Garden If this legend of the Rose Garden is to continue then can we re-focus? I’m not ungrateful to the people who designed and made the garden and tradition to begin with, but I think its time to either move on or make over.

Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler

January 18th, 2010

Green Acres Baptist Church is located at 1607 Troup Hwy, Tyler, Texas 75701. Green Acres Baptist Church mission statement is that they exist to exalt God’s greatness and spread the word to God’s world making sure people are fully ready to share God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord. Everything they do is to bring people to Christ. My family has been members of this church as long as I can remember. At first I did not like it because I judged the people in the church according to my Sunday school class members and what was happening there. I automatically assumed that the whole congregation must be the same. With that in mind, I was a 14 year old girl trying to fit in somewhere and Green Acres seemed too rich and too big to me. I felt ashamed to be there because we had very little money. Therefore, I felt like I did not fit in because I was not driving the right car or wearing the name brand clothes. For that reason I left the church when I was old enough to drive and choose somewhere else to worship.

Don’t worry the story does not end like this, teenage years are hard anyway for anybody too young to really know what is going on and peer pressure is strong for girls to want to fit in somewhere cool. When I became an adult, I went back to Green Acres and realized that I had made some ugly judgments upon the church based on my teenage years. Not very fair I know but like I said I have long changed my mind about what I thought in my younger years. I will be honest, too big of a place for me. Prefer smaller groups of people nothing wrong with larger ones…just feel more comfortable in something not as big.

Pastor Dyke’s is a great teacher. You can tell he loves God and wants to reach the world for His name sake There are so many opportunities they offer probably too many to list. My family has been uniquely bless in so many ways by the members there. Anytime we called and needed help ….they were always ready to reach out to those in need. Need counseling…they have it; lacking in food, clothing or other necessities, Green Acres is fully equipped to help you and love to reach out and help the community and share the love of Jesus.

Your marriage on the rocks…you can go to a 10-12 weeks Seminar that Cindy Dykes is holding for couples that are engaged, dating or married and want to learn more about how to relate to one another. I went to the program myself and loved it. Anything you learn you can apply to your life and help you become a better person. The library is big and offers movies, books and Cd’s that you can rent at no cost. You don’t have to rent…you can also buy it if you would like to keep it. There is a children’s area that is very safe, our daughter loved being there and playing with the other babies. The personnel that volunteered to watch the children were very nice and you could tell they loved being there and spending time with them. Everybody is welcome no matter the race, sex, or denomination. Tons of exciting stuff for your children to do. Don’t think you have to worry about not having enough to do. Maybe the opposite, too much fun things to do.

If you’re looking for a place to join or visit and don’t mind a big place, then you may have found the congregation you have been looking for. Refrain from making the same mistake as I did….by judging a place before you know more about it. Go visit and see for yourself if Green Acres Baptist Church is the Tyler TX church congregation for you and your family.