I received another new CD in the mail yesterday.

The Best of Stuart Townend Live...

Buy it here



Stuart's blog




This video represents very well what the CD is like.

It's a sing along :o)


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Oh! I have some really great news.


Emma went before a judge last night to "fight" her ticket.

I have never been to this kind of court. When I get a speeding ticket, I know I deserve it and pay up.

But the ticket Emma and her friends got was worth contesting.

On Sept 19th, Emma and three other friends were talking in a park parking lot.

They were just sitting there talking.

No smoking or drinking or vandalism.


The police gave them each an eighty dollar ticket for being in the park after hours.

I was outraged.

No warning.

Just an $80.00 ticket.


Who knows this rule?

What a ridiculously high fine for basically loitering.


So we went to fight it.

Emma didn't really want to go. It's a scary thought.
A judge.
The unknown.


I asked her if she would like me to come along.

"Yes, please" she said.

We got there early and Emma wrote her name on the sign in sheet.

As we watched the proceedings it was clearer and clearer that Emma's fine was way too high for what they did.

People were guilty of doing very serious things and they were not paying much more than $80 dollars.

There was hope. I thought.

Emma went up 11th.

The judge read her violation and asked her if she had anything to say.

Quietly she said, she did not know the rule, and that they were not drinking or smoking.

The judge asked if anyone else was at court.
One other friend went up to stand before the judge with Emma.

(Another friend was there also....but left ten minutes earlier-to go to Bible study!)


The judge said that ignorance of the law does not make it okay. (Which is actually in the Bible....but I still don't agree :o)


BUT, he would hold the tickets 'open' for six months.
If the violators didn't have any non-traffic issues for six months, these tickets would be thrown away.

No loitering, no spitting on the sidewalk, no drinking or smoking marijuana.

Fine.

No fine.

Hooray.

Happy day.


As we pulled into Culver's parking lot, I reminded Emma,

"Now Emma, remember....no spitting on the sidewalk for six months!"


Encourage one another,
Donna