Saturday

Don’t hoard treasure down here

where it gets eaten by moths

and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars.

Stockpile treasure in heaven,

where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars.

It’s obvious, isn’t it?

The place where your treasure is,

is the place you will most want to be,

and end up being.

~Matthew 6:19-21 MSG~

 

Sherry Simpson requested prayer.  She will be having surgery in Nashville on October 20th to correct surgery she had in Covington April 22nd.

 

Dylan Ray Elliott
(June 22, 1999 – October 6, 2011)

Dylan Ray Elliott was born June 22, 1999 and passed away at 7:05 a.m., Thursday, October 6, 2011 at his residence. He was 12, a native of Hammond and a resident of Independence.

Dylan is survived by his parents, Ray J. & Gay Lynn Elliott, III, Independence; step-brother, Tobey Williams, Independence; paternal grandparents, Wayne & Lou Ballard, Ponchatoula, Wilford Lee and Florence Anthony, Kentwood, Ray J. and Barbara Elliott, Jr., Cumming, GA; great- grandparent, Allie Dragg, Ponchatoula; numerous extended family members.

Preceded in death by maternal grandparents, Arthur David and Icie Elizabeth Bissell; great grandparents, Leona Prine & Bull & Barbara Anthony.

Visitation at McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home, Amite, on Monday, October 10, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. until Celebration of Life Services in the Funeral Home Chapel at 1:00 p.m. with Bro. Bobby Carroll officiating. Interment in Briar Patch Cemetery, Loranger.

An on-line Guestbook is available at http://www.mckneelyvaughnfh.com

McKneely & Vaughn Funeral Home is located at I-55N (Exit 46) and Hwy 16W next to Hood Chevrolet and behind Mr. Tom’s Car Wash, Bond Eye Clinic and Holiday Inn Express.

 

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

 

Counting my blessings today,

Anna Lee