Category: Family

Wednesday Addition

Frank’s brother Mike Smith (Hattiesburg, Ms.) will have coronary artery bypass Thursday morning at Forrest General Hospital. We would appreciate all the prayers he can get. Will keep you posted on his surgery.
Thanks so very much.
Sue Smith

Momma seemed a little better this morning.  It was good to see her that way.  Thanks for your many prayers for our family lately.

Pray for the Cutrer family as they take special care of Caroline.  This is an great example of a family working together to take care of someone.

From Glen Magee

We will be having a Chicken dinner Fundraiser, THIS SUNDAY from 11:00-01:00, donations will be $7.00 and all proceeds will go towards funeral expenses of our employee & friend, Raoul Constant. First come first served- there are no prepurchased tickets but we should have plenty lunches prepared for all. The restaurant will not be open and all dinners will be in “to-go” boxes, but you are welcome to sit inside if you want. Thanks in advance, Glen.

Monday, the associational WMU will meet at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church at Pine Grove for the annual Georgia Barnette Mission Study.  The meeting begins at 10 A.M. and will be followed by a covered dish supper.  All ladies are invited to attend.

The Third Thursday gathering at the cabin is tomorrow.  Everyone is invited to come for supper, sweet fellowship, a devotional, and a time of prayer.  The time is 6:30.  We hope to see you tomorrow.

Tuesday (Posted Early)

And be kind and compassionate to one another,

forgiving one another,

just as God also forgave you in Christ. 

Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB)

(Scripture I memorized for VBS many years ago)

Pray for Jesse and Majel Dean as they report to North Oaks for 5:30 for Jesse’s back surgery tomorrow.  The surgery is scheduled for 7:00 and should last approximately two hours.

Jimmy Schwartz will have a bone marrow test tomorrow to see if they can determine why he is not manufacturing blood.

I got a call at 6:30 this morning saying Momma would be released pending approval of two other doctors.  We’re still waiting for one of them.

7:15 P.M. – Momma is going to be released tonight!

Georgia Barnette Week of Prayer: Day 3

http://georgiabarnette.org/GBO/Day3/

Georgia Barnette Offering: Your dollars at work

http://georgiabarnette.org/GBO/Default2.aspx?id=8222

9-11Sunday

 

Let’s reflect back on 9-11, the lives lost that day, and the lives lost sine then in war.  Thank-God for those who serve to protect us daily.  Be sure to thank those who protect us locally and in the military all around the world.

Cade was born early Friday evening.  He weighted 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 inches long.  His parents, Phil and Lacey Todora, are doing well and are very proud .  Pray for them as they raise this child.

Momma has developed some new problems or they have just been found.  Pray for her and us as we continue this marathon.

Jimmy Schwartz is back in North Oaks.  I’m not sure of his room number, but you can learn that from a family member or hospital worker.

Jadon’s Story

 

Lamictal increase not so great:(

 

Posted: 10 Sep 2011 06:57 AM PDT

 

We increased my lamictal again. We have been thinking for several weeks that the lamictal was making things worse but in desperation to find a medicine that worked we wanted to be 100% sure. Well we now know that it is definitely making things worse. We increased it again and my seizures are out of control. It has also affected my personality. I’m very fussy and I want mommy or whoever is keeping me to hold me all day long. Some of the seizures are also making me cry. It’s not very many maybe 5 a day but when I say cry I mean a terrified screaming with real tears. It’s absolutely horrible for me and it’s also horrible for my family to watch. Since it is the weekend and my neuro isn’t on call, my mommy is just going to go back down on the lamictal. We will see our neuro Tuesday and I’m sure she will give us a plan to wean off the lamictal. I don’t understand why these medicines make my seizures worse. They have all made them worse with the exception of vimpat and banzel. The banzel helped alot in the beginning but then stopped working. The vimpat has done absolutely nothing. The only other thing that has helped is steroids. I know it sounds crazy but last week when I pulled up and started crawling, I had just come off of steroids. I had to be put on them because of a bite I had on my leg. I was only on it for a week and look at the progress I made. Not only do I have a rare seizure disorder but I do not follow the books in any way. I’m very thankful for how far I’ve come. I know that it’s our faith and prayers that have gotten us this far. I will win this battle one day. I’m too determined to give up now!!!
Considering all that is happening in my world and your world, is it any wonder that as I selected a random Though for the Day that this is the one God led me to?
Thought for the Day: What the future holds
Future
I thought you might enjoy listening to these people who tried to predict what the future held:

“That rainbow song’s no good. Take it out.” – MGM memo after first showing of The Wizard Of Oz.

“You’d better learn secretarial skills or else get married.” – Modeling agency, rejecting Marilyn Monroe in 1944.

“Radio has no future.” “X-rays are clearly a hoax”. “The aeroplane is scientifically impossible.” – Royal Society president Lord Kelvin, 1897-9.

“You ought to go back to driving a truck.” – Concert manager, firing Elvis Presley in 1954.

“Forget it. No Civil War picture ever made a nickel.” – MGM executive, advising against investing in Gone With The Wind.

“Can’t act. Can’t sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little.” – A film company’s verdict on Fred Astaire’s 1928 screen test.

“The atom bomb will never go off – and I speak as an expert in explosives.” – U.S. Admiral William Leahy in 1945.

“Television won’t matter in your lifetime or mine.” – Radio Times editor Rex Lambert, 1936.

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – director of the US Patent Office, 1899.

“And for the tourist who really wants to get away from it all, safaris in Vietnam.” – Newsweek magazine, predicting popular holidays for the late 1960s.

Predicting the future is a difficult thing to do. And yet we often wonder, what does the future hold for me? What does God have in mind for my life? Who will I marry? What will happen to me when I grow old? How can I make it through the pain or sorrow I’m experiencing right now? Will things ever get better?

“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.” (Psalm 61:1-3).

I like this quote (author unknown): “Christians don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.” May you take comfort in that knowledge this day.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Boone Church of Christ
Boone, NC

 

 

“Christians don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future.”

Anna Lee 

Saturday

“[A]nd let us run with endurance the race

that God has set before us.” 

~Hebrews 12:1c (NLT)~

If you haven’t already begun to pray for Jesse Dean and his surgery Tuesday, now is a good time.  I know he and Majel will appreciate that very much.

Doctors seem to have found more concerns for Momma now that she is hospitalized.  The family continues to covet your prayers.

Katrina was a big event for those of us living here.  9/11 was a significant event for every American.  It seems like it cannot be ten years already, but to those closer to the heart of 9/11, it probable seems like much longer than ten years.  Pray for the families of 9/11 just like you did on 9/11.  Pray for America to stand strong against terrorism and for God and the Christian values we hold so dear.

You may find some interesting 9/11 reading at BPNews.net.

Heart to Heart with Holley: A Time for Everything

 

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

 

I’m facing the beach. The sun has just slipped above the sea. I sip coffee and my thoughts roll, roll, roll, like the waves.

Unbidden, concerns come to the surface.

What about…?

When will I…?

How can I…?

I could fill in those blanks a thousand different ways.

And yet this morning one passage from Ecclesiastes seems to be the answer to all of them…

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Each sentence flows over my soul. And I realize, if all the waves came in at once it would be too much for us. We’d drown in our desires.

And so we wait, watch the shore, trust the hand and heart of the One who brings us what is best in its time.

Lord, we surrender to your ways.

We yield to your rythm.

We who hurry choose to let

each answer in our lives have its moment.

Give us your time for everything…

and help us trust you for all things.

Amen.

Blessing to all of you today!

Anna Lee

Friday

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;

nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.”

~Isaiah 59:1~

Caring Bridge: Logan Watts

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

August 12th at the Satsuma community center. There will be supper and a silent auction 5:30-6:00. $6.00 jambalaya plates. Free gospel singing at 7pm. Free admission. Come out and support LOGAN WATTS!

Lacey’s baby has not been born yet: maybe today.

Aunt Eva’s hip surgery went well, but she had complications after surgery and was taken to ICU.  According to the last information I had last night, the doctors were to install a temporary pacemaker last night and a permanent one today.

I called the nurse to come check Momma a day earlier than scheduled.  After checking Momma’s vitals, she sent us to the ER.  Momma is dehydrated and possibly has a UTI.  We got her into a room at midnight.  Please pray for her, and us, today.

Baptist Press – http://www.bpnews.net/

Thought for the Day – In Our Father’s Arms

Great Truths About Life That Little Children Have Learned (author unknown)

* No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.

* When your Mom is mad at your dad, don’t let her brush your hair.

* If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always catch the second person.

* Never ask your 3-year-old brother to hold a tomato.

* You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.

* Reading what people write on desks can teach you a lot.

* Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

* Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic tac.

* Never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time.

* School lunches stick to the wall.

* You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

* Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
No matter how cute the underwear is.

* The best place to be when you are sad is in Mommy’s or Daddy’s lap.

Pretty good advice, huh? For a child, there is no place for comfort that compares with the lap of a parent. But what about when you grow older and no longer fit in their lap?

“There is no one like the God of Israel, who rides through the skies to help you, who rides on the clouds in his majesty. The everlasting God is your place of safety, and his arms will hold you up forever.” (Deut. 32:25-26a, NCV)

The best place for a Christian to be when he is sad is in his Father’s arms. May those of you who are hurting and sad this day take comfort there.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Boone Church of Christ
Boone, NC

Blessed,

Anna Lee

Midday Thursday

Let me add one more family member to my list today.

  • Aunt Eva fell in Alabama this morning and broke her hip.  I think she is 89.  Not only is she my aunt by marriage, but she is my brother-in-law’s mother.  Pray for Aunt Eva and her family as they face whatever is ahead of them.
  • All this and I did not mention my Texas relatives.   Enough said!
As my family goes through these difficult times, other families are doing the same.  Sometimes when you see a smile on a face, you don’t really know what is in their hear.  I’m thankful for the smiles my family and others are able to share.
My great-nephew, Cade, is still waiting to make his appearance today.  I think he is waiting on a doctor.  Get use to that, Cade.  Doctors sometimes have to prioritize their time.  I’m thankful you weren’t that emergency, Cade.  We can all wait a little longer for you.

Thursday

“God shall bless us,

and all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.”

~Psalm 67:7~

Today, I want to be selfish and request prayer for some members of our famiy.

  • David’s sister, Bonnie, tripped and fell this week.  Thankfully, Bonnie only seems to have a dental problem from the fall.  She called to tell me and to remind me how quickly life can change.
  • My niece, Lacey, is giving birth to her first child, Cade, today.  That will be a big change.
  • Momma doesn’t seem to be doing well.  We change daily as Momma changes.
Your world and family is constantly changing too.  Let’s pray for each other.  On the surface, things often look fine, but a lot can be happening in families.
Baptist Press for Wednesday
Thought for the Day: Showing Through

Stan Buck tells the story about a little girl who, on the way home from church, turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.”

The mother said, “Oh! Why is that?”

The girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”

“Yes, that’s true,” the mother replied.

“He also said that God lives within us. Is that true, too?”

Again the mother replied, “Yes.”

“Well,” said the girl. “if God is bigger that us and he lives in us, wouldn’t he show through?”

I like that little girl’s way of putting it. If God lives in us, then there’s no way of keeping Him from “showing through.” That’s the essence of Christian living — living in such a way that people around will see God in our lives.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

A simple question as you live this day: Is God “showing through” in your life?

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
White House Church of Christ
White House, Tennessee

 

I pray that God “shows through” in my life and your life.  This devotional reminds me of a girl in my class in Roseland Elementary School.  Her slip was showing below the hem of her dress.  She adjusted the slip and the skirt all day.  The teacher very kindly told her it was nice that her slip showed, because it let everyone see she had one.  If we had God in our hearts, He should certainly “show” so that others will know He is there.

Let Him “show” in your life today!

Anna Lee

Tuesday Evening

My neice Kelly Gehringer just called and ask me  to put a prayer request on the prayer link for her mother Patsy Lee.  She has been rushed to North Oaks by ambulance with a lot of fluid in her lungs and around her heart. Thanks for the prayers for her and her family.

Gloria Gill

 

After an appointment for Momma and two for me, I now know more about my brain turmor and have scheduled an appointment with a neurosurgeon at Ochsner in New Orleans.  I was self-diagnosed, and correctly, with Trigeminal Neuralgia.  He will follow my case and be able to make comparisons to all the cases he has worked with since Meningeoma is his specialty.  Everyone is optomistic for me.

Momma is doing well as far as the cardiologist is concerned.  We made changes in Momma’s medication to help with too much sleeping and other issues.  The occupational therapist went to see Momma, but wasn’t able to get much from her.  She will try again on a day when Momma has not made a trip to Hammond.

Life has been extra busy for us lately.  Please continue to pray for my family.