Month: September 2011

Friday Addition

Heart to Heart with Holley: When you need a little encouragement

I wish we could sit down to coffee today.

I’d lean across the table and say,

“I’m a little tired. Just a little discouraged.

It happens sometimes.”

And you’d tell me how you felt too.

Then we’d remind each other of what’s true…

that even on the upside-down days

we’re loved, chosen, and we belong to the One

who’s promised to make it {and us} okay again.

So let’s keep going, my friends,

and dare to end this week

with a little bit more joy than when it started.

What do you say?

I will if you will.

So, what encouraging words would you share with me if we really did have coffee today?

 

Do you know of anyone who needs some encouragement.  Today is the day you can be the one to encourage them  with a visit, a call, a card, an email, or even a message on Facebook!    What are you waiting for?

Anna Lee

Friday

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name;

proclaim His deeds among the peoples.

Sing to Him, sing praise to Him;

tell about all His wonderful works!

Honor His holy name; l

et the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.”

~Psalm 105:1-3, HCSB~

Freddie Rick  and Jerome Rosenblatt are at home.   Thank God they are well enough to be home again.

Mr. Kenneth Felker and his wife have both been sick again this week.  Pray for continued improvement for both of them.

Mike Nason is home dealing with pneumonia.  Pray for relief for him.

Interesting articles, as usual

http://www.bpnews.net/

Thought for the Day: I Owe a Lot to My Parents

by Alan Smith

Here are some sports quotes reported from England:

“And here’s Moses Kiptanui, the 19-year-old Kenyan, who turned 20 a few weeks ago.” (David Coleman)

“We now have exactly the same situation as we had at the start of the race, only exactly the opposite.” (Murray Walker)

After playing Cameroon in the 1990 world cup finals: “We didn’t underestimate them. They were just a lot better than we thought.” (Bobby Robson)

“I was in a no-win situation, so I’m glad that I won rather than lost.” (Frank Bruno)

“The lead car is absolutely unique, except for the one behind it which is identical.” (Murray Walker)

“There have been injuries and deaths in boxing, but none of them serious.” (Alan Minter)

“Just under 10 seconds for Nigel Mansel. Call it 9.5 seconds in round numbers.” (Murray Walker)

“I’ll fight Lloyd Honeyghan for nothing if the price is right.” (Marlon Starling)

“If history repeats itself, I should think we can expect the same thing again.” (Terry Venables)

“The Queen’s Park Oval, exactly as its name suggests, is absolutely round.” (Tony Crozier)

“I owe a lot to my parents, especially my mother and father.” (Greg Norman)

Like Greg Norman, we all owe our parents a great deal. We’re mindful not only of the physical needs which they met, but such things as the love they have shown, the example they have set, and the chastisement they have administered (yes, even the chastisement). I owe my parents all of these things, and so much more. Perhaps most meaningful were the words of wisdom which guided me in the right direction (though not always appreciated at the time). The words of Solomon speak to me:

“My son, keep your father’s commands, and don’t forget your mother’s teaching. Keep their words in mind forever as though you had them tied around your neck. They will guide you when you walk. They will guard you when you sleep. They will speak to you when you are awake. These commands are like a lamp; this teaching is like a light. And the correction that comes from them will help you have life.” (Prov. 6:20-23, NCV).

Say a special prayer of thanks to God for your parents — especially your mother and father!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
White House Church of Christ
White House, Tennessee

Thank God for those who helped to guide you in the right direction in life!  If possible, tell those people how important they are to your life.

Anna Lee

Thursday

“Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

~Philippians 4:6-7~

Today, we will focus on good news/answered prayers.

  • Our six year old grandson, Mason, had suffered with allergiers all his life.  Yesterday, he had some allergy tests at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.  Mason is no longer allergic to peanuts.  He celebrated with peanut butter and salted peanuts.  Today, he wants a Snickers. Tomorrow, he will get a Recees Cup.                                                                   This reminds me of all the simple pleasures of life we take for granted each day.
  • Momma is doing a little better and has made some progress in regaining her strength to stand up.                                                                     That is something that seems easy to most of us and something we think little of.  I think these two things alone will make us thankful today.
  • Andy Taylor was able to be at prayer meeting last night.  I know he is counting his blessings.
  • Ruby Schwartz is doing better with her walking.  I know she is thankful to have less pain now.
  • Frank Erwin is home from North Oaks.  There’s no place like home!
Thought for the Day: Appreciating Our Blessings

Two old friends bumped into one another on the street one day. One of them looked forlorn, almost on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world done to you, my old friend?”


The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, an uncle died and left me forty thousand dollars.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

“But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me eighty-five thousand free and clear.”

“Sounds like you’ve been blessed….”

“You don’t understand!” he interrupted. “Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million.”

Now he was really confused. “Then, why do you look so glum?”

“This week… nothing!”

That’s the trouble with receiving something on a regular basis. Even if it is a gift, we eventually come to expect it. Someone once suggested to me a way to test someone’s character. Give him (or her) $5 a day for a month. Then stop, and see what his reaction is. The natural tendency is that if we receive a gift long enough, we come to view it as an entitlement. We feel hurt, even angry, if we don’t receive it any longer.

It’s the same way with the blessings God gives us every day. I don’t deserve the comfortable home I live in, the beautiful scenery around me, the clean water that I drink. But after receiving these gifts (and a multitude of others) for years, I sometimes fail to be grateful. I’ve come to expect these good things. And when one of them is removed for a short while (like the water being cut off), I get upset.

Make an effort today to recognize the blessings you’ve come to take for granted. Focus on what you have rather than on what you don’t have, and see if it doesn’t improve your attitude.

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
White House Church of Christ
White House, Tennessee

 

My mother-in-law, Bessie Russell, was the best example I had of appreciating the little blessings of life.  She appreciated every little aspect of nature as she rode with family along the familiar roads of our area.  She felt so blessed to watch a child do everyday things, like run across her porch.  A new dish towel at Christmas was appreciated as much as a million dollars (which she never had).  She always fed Jason red beans from an old, heavy ironstone bowl.  I’m thankful for my daughter-in-law, Becki, who has that old ugly bowl hanging in a shadow box in her kitchen.  It brings back sweet memories of “Miss” Bessie and thankful thoughts of Becki who recognized the importance of that bowl that is priceless to Jason.

Blessed and thankful,

Anna Lee

Wednesday

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16b)

Prayer for See You at the Pole at schools around the world this morning.  Thank God for students proud enough to stand and be counted as Christians.

Remember, FBC, Kentwood WILL have prayer meeting tonight despite the crusade going on in Amite.  You can make your choice.

Jadon’s Story: Vigabatrin Update

Posted: 26 Sep 2011 05:51 PM PDT

I have been an vigabatrin for 3 days now. My seizures are better. They are not nearly as intense as they have been. I’m also not having as many. I’m having about 80 a day instead of 150. Though we are seeing improvement, we have a long way to go. I need you to pray that these seizures will continue to decrease. We also need this medicine to continue to work. I’ve had success at first several times but the seizures have found a way around it. So please pray that the seizures stay down and continue to get better and GO AWAY forever.. Thanks for your support and prayers.
Remember the many who are hospitalized or who have been hospitalized lately.
Do What is Right Anyway

People are often unreasonable,
Illogical, and self-centered;
Love them anyway.

If you are kind,
People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
You will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
People may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
Someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
They may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
People will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
And it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
It is between you and God;
It never was between you and them anyway.

–Kent Keith

There is a tendency for us to live our lives with an eye on “the other
guy.” We’ll do what’s right to him as long as he does what’s right to us.
But Jesus does not allow us to live our lives as a reaction to others. We
must determine to do what is right regardless.

“Peter, seeing [John], said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, what about this man?’
Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to
you? You follow Me.'” (John 21:21-22)

If others around you are making it difficult to do what is right, don’t
allow yourself to be distracted. Do what is right anyway.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Boone Church of Christ
Boone, North Carolina

“Do what is right anywat!”

Anna Lee

Tuesday

And I pray that you,

being rooted and established in love,

may have power,

together with all the saints,

to grasp how wide and long and high and deep

is the love of Christ,

and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—

that you may be filled

to the measure of all the fullness of God. 

~Ephesians 3:17–19 NIV~

CaringBridge:LarkinDorris

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/larkindorris

 

We will have prayer meeting at church Wednesday Evening for those not going to the crusade.  If planning to go to the crusade, feel free to do so, but please pass the word along that Prayer Meeting will be held as usual at the church.
The crusade has been going well with decisions being made for Christ.  Continue to pray for the Tangipahoa Crusade for Christ.
God bless!
See you Wednesday,
Bro. Joey                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Prayer from Zambia: Two families . . . four adults . . . seven children. Three Sundays in a row, they’ve met to sing and hear stories from the Word. They’ve chosen a name for themselves: Litoma Baptist Church. Litoma is the traditional name of the small rocky island in the Zambezi River just across from where the little church group meets on land. The word itself–”Litoma”–means “to stand firm, to stand resolutely.” Pray that this new fledging church will stand firm. Ask our Lord Jesus Christ to build this church upon Himself, the Solid Rock. “On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground is sinking sand!” Let this church be a witness rock of salvation to all the community.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Thought for the Day: Blaming Others

“Johnny, where’s your homework?” asked the teacher, more in hope than expectation.
“Sorry,” said Johnny, “I couldn’t do it, there was too much noise at home.”
“Noise? All evening? What kind of noise?” asked the teacher.
“It was the television, ma’am, it was just too loud. I couldn’t do my homework.”
“Now Johnny,” said the teacher patiently, “you could have asked them to turn the sound down, surely?”
“No, I couldn’t. There was no one else in the room!”
We are quick to place the blame on others, to talk about what “they” didn’t do. “I think the church should spend more time visiting the sick!” “I think the church should do more evangelizing!” “I think the church should do more to encourage our missionaries!”
There may well be some truth in those statements. But, often, we make such statements without asking the questions, “What am I doing?” or “What can I do?” The reason is obvious. Thinking about we aren’t doing makes us feel guilty, thinking about what others aren’t doing doesn’t bother the conscience much at all.
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)
Television too loud? Get up and turn it off yourself!

Have a great day!
Alan Smith

 

Blessed,                                                                                                                                     Anna Lee  

 

Monday

 

“God, create a clean heart for me

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

~Psalm 51:10, HCSB~

 

Please say a special prayer for Caroline Cutrer. She is having a really rough time right now. She is back at the hospital in Jackson, Ms. Her fever has spiked and she is going to have some more transfusions. Thanks, Tammie

 

CaringBridge:LardkinDorris

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/larkindorris

 

Pray for Chloe Neyland and her family as Chloe is admitted to the hospital for Wednesday’s surgery.

 

 

Pray for Majel’s family.  Jesse is better, but her cousin. Joe, is still hospitalized in Jackson, and her sister goes in for knee replacement surgery on Wednesday at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, MS.  It’s been two weeks since Joe’s surgery.  He had been dealing with complications.  Jason‘s back surgery is scheduled so you can begin to pray for him.

 

Alice Faye Lee asked us to pray for her sister, Frances Allen, who has ovarian cancer and will have surgery at St. Dominiques in Jackson.  Frances and Frankie Fowler were twins.

 

Mr. Frank Erwin continues to be at North Oaks.  Pray for him and his family as they treat him for pneumonia and other concerns.

 

 

Thought for the Day: A Tribute to Missionaries

Preacher

You know you’ve been a missionary too long if……

1. You can’t answer the question, “Where are you from?”
2. You read National Geographic and recognize someone.
3. You have a time zone map next to your telephone.
4 You consider a city 500 km away to be “very close”.
5. You watch nature documentaries, and think about how good that animal would taste if it were fried.
6. You can cut grass with a machete, but can’t start a lawnmower.
7. You speak with authority on the subject of airline travel.
8. You read the international section before the comics.
9. You have friends from or in 29 different countries.
10. You sort your friends by continent.
11. Fitting 15 or more people into a car seems normal to you.
12. You refer to gravel roads as highways.
13. You haggle with the checkout clerk for a lower price.
14. You don’t think that two hours is a long sermon.
15. You marvel at the cleanliness of gas station bathrooms.
16. You think you’ve died and gone to heaven when you go into a foreign grocery store.
17. You think a “foreign school” conducts classes in English.

Before I get a flood of letters, let me assure you that I realize that not all missionaries work in conditions described above. But what an important role is filled by those willing (and able) to fulfill Jesus’ commission to carry the gospel to “all the world” (Mark 16:15)! I never cease to be amazed at the dedication and willingness to sacrifice that I see in the missionaries I know, as well as their obvious love for Jesus Christ and for people.

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:14-15)

May God grant a special blessing today to those of you who have such beautiful feet! And I encourage all of my readers to offer a special prayer to God on behalf of the missionaries you know.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Boone Church of Christ
Boone, NC

 

Pray for our son-in-law as he travels back to his family in New Orleans today.

 

Stand in the storm.  When it gets rough, make adjustments, but keep standing.  

Blessed,

Anna Lee