Friday Afternoon

Kristopher Nathan Forrest
(April 6, 1974 – December 24, 2009)

Kristopher Nathan Forrest

Kristopher Nathan Forrest, a lifelong resident of Ponchatoula, died from an accidental injury in his home on December 24, 2009. Kris was born April 6, 1974, and was 35 years old. Kris’ wife, Ashley Alford Forrest, is devastated at his loss. They had celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary on June 20, 2009. Kris and Ashley have one child, Mason Bedford Forrest, who is 6 years old. Kris was a wonderful, faithful, considerate, loving and supportive husband and father. Kris was honest, hardworking, generous, kind, intelligent and had a wonderful sense of humor. He was respected by anyone who knew him and loved by his family and friends. Kris was enthusiastically pursuing ASE certification at the time of his death. Kris’ death will leave a void that can never be filled. Kris is also survived by his grief-stricken family members, parents, Michael and Sheila Forrest, brother, Kyle, and sister, Ashley, and paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lucille Forrest, all of Ponchatoula, and maternal grandmother, Mrs. Gerri Bordelon, Kenner, and his mother-in-law, Kathy Conn Alford, Amite. Kris was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Bernard A. Bordelon, Sr., and Julius D. Forrest, maternal uncle, Bernard A. Bordelon, Jr., and his grandmother by marriage, Ellen L. Conn, and Aunt by marriage, Vicky Conn Cavaretta, of Amite.

Christmas

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:

and the government shall be upon his shoulder:

and his name shall be called Wonderful,

Counsellor,

The mighty God,


The everlasting Father,

The Prince of Peace.”
~Isaiah 9:6~


“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.”


~Luke 2:11~


“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:

and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.”


~Luke 2:9-12~


Merry CHRISTmas!  Be sure not to leave Jesus out of His birthday celebration!

Anna Lee

Christmas Eve Evening

THE JOY OF GIVING

The Santa Claus at the mall was very surprised when a young lady about twenty years old walked up and sat on his lap.

Santa doesn’t usually take requests from adults, but she smiled very nicely at him, so he said, “OK, you can ask for something but it has to be for someone other than yourself. What do you want for Christmas?”

“Something for my mother,” said the young lady.

“Something for your mother? Well, that’s very thoughtful of you,” smiled Santa. “What do you want me to bring her? ”

Without blinking she replied, “A son-in-law!”

We often say that Christmas is a time when the focus is on giving, but let’s be honest — for many (perhaps most) people, the greater excitement of Christmas is in what we receive, not in what we give.  How many people do you know who are saying, “I can’t wait to give a gift!”?  Now, how many people do you know who are saying, “I can’t wait to see what I get!”?  As parents, we know the joy of watching our children open their gifts, but are we instilling in our children the joy of giving, or is Christmas simply a time when they are excited to receive what they wanted (or perhaps they’re upset because they didn’t get what they wanted)?

While trying not to sound too cynical, how many of the gifts we give every Christmas are given because we feel obligated to give, or because we are hoping to receive something back?  Is it possible for those of us who are Christ-followers to give simply for the joy of giving?

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you?  Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you more than others?  Do not even the tax collectors do so?” (Luke 5:46-47).  To take it one step further, if we give only to those from whom we expect to receive something back, how are we different from anyone else in the world?  What should distinguish God’s people is a desire to give with no thought no receiving anything back.

In Luke 14:12-14, Jesus said, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

May I encourage you, not only this season, but year-round, to seek to find ways to give to those who can’t give back, to learn to give simply for the joy of giving.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

I hope you have remembered that Jesus is the reason we are celebrating!  Please remember to give of yourself, just as God did when He sent Jesus to earth long ago.  Merry CHRISTmas!

Anna Lee

Christmas Eve

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,  Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

~Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)~

Carter Family

Donna’s surgery went well and she is home now.
Mason did not have a good check up. His right sinus is full of infection again. The doctor took a culcure to see what he could find out. Will should know in about a week or so.
Adam’s ear infection is gone! Thank God!!!!

KOM pray

Merry Christmas!

By the time you read this, Christmas Day will probably already be over.  Your presents are all unwrapped. The beautiful decorations will soon be taken down and put in boxes.

Missionaries serving around the world are VERY busy this holiday season.  Even when countries don’t celebrate Christmas, they usually have a winter holiday.  Missionaries will still be having parties and going to parties this week.  They will hand out Christmas CDs, magazines, comic books and DVDs.  Some will sing in concerts, speak in schools and feed the homeless.

Mark John and Sharon Bennett, in Tokyo, Japan, have children in the third, fifth and sixth grades.  So the Bennett family is spending time this Christmas season with classmates and their families.  They will tell them about Jesus. Please pray for these Japanese families that they will be excited to hear about Jesus and accept Him as Savior.

Let’s pray for a chance to tell our friends about Jesus this week too!

Prayer Requests from Missionary Kids

Please pray for family when we begin our second term in June 2010.  Also pray for me as I do my seventh year in Public School in ‘09/10.  When we go back to South Asia I will do 8th grade homeschooled and 9th grade at boarding school.  ALISSA, age 12 (South Asian peoples)

You could pray that more missonaries can go in more places and that God can protect all.  LAUREN, age 9 (East Asian peoples)

Please pray for my neighbors because they don’t believe in Jesus.  They don’t believe in any god.  HARPER, age 7 (European peoples)

1. Help me remember to pray for my dad because he is always going places.  Pray that he learns more languages.
2. God keep my dog happy.
3. Help my friends to understand who Jesus is.  REBEKAH, age 6 (Sub-Saharan African peoples)

1. Please pray for me that I would tell people about Jesus.
2. Please that God would keep us from getting sick.
Please pray for someone who has a tumor behind her nose.  JY, age 6 (East Asian peoples)

CaringBridge

Sue “MeMaw” Hendrickson
(October 31, 1951 – December 23, 2009)

Died at 9:45AM on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at her residence in Kentwood, LA. She was a native of McComb, MS. Age 58 years. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, and friend and was a retired school teacher of Tangipahoa Parish School Board. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. Religious Services at East Fork Baptist Church at 11 a.m. Saturday. Services conducted by Rev. Michael Shumuck. Interment East Fork Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. Survived by husband, David Hendrickson, Kentwood, son, Lea Hendrickson, Central, sister, Shelia Esch and her husband, Carroll, Kentwood, 2 brothers, Robert Nick Lea, Jr. and his wife, Patsy, Kentwood, H. Rod Lea, Kentwood, 1 grandaughter, Brianna Hendrickson, numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by parents, Robert Lea, Sr. and Blanche Dykes Lea.
Have a blessed day!  Bless someone today by an act of love and kindness!
Anna Lee

Wednesday Addition

Hunter and Brody Wolfe

Judge Elizabeth Wolfe has twin grandsons that were born in October but due in January. Hunter and Brody Wolfe. Brody will be coming home in the next day or two but Hunter is critically ill. He had to have heart surgery and is now on dialysis. He is not doing well. She asked for our prayers. Please be in prayer for her and her family at this time.

Pam Sellers

Wanzie Williams

Wanzie is not having surgery today.  She is going to be on the blood thinner for awhile before they can do surgery.  Thanks, Majel (Dean)

Wednesday

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?

Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.

~Luke 6:32 (NIV)~

Continue praying for Mrs. Wanzie Williams as she has surgery this morning.

Mrs. Della McDaniel is doing well following her heart procedure.  Keep her in your prayers.

Chuck Pittman made a trip to the emergency room last week.  He is a little better this week.  Continue to pray for Chuck and his family.

Mrs. Faye Price is in rehab across the road from North Oaks.  Keep praying for her and her family.

Learn what $.08 can do through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions.

http://www.imb.org/main/give/lmw/Story.asp?StoryID=8017&LanguageID=1709

Lottie Moon Enthusiast Upholds Missions Legacy

By Caroline Anderson
Baptist Press
EDITOR’S NOTE: See Frances Blair speak of her regard for legendary missionary Lottie Moon: http://media1.imbresources.org/files/103/10336/10336-55197.flv.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (BP)–She is a petite spitfire with a heart for missions. She teaches Sunday School at Hardware Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., where she encourages members to support missionaries who tell people about Jesus in other countries.

Those who know the life story of Lottie Moon may think this is a description of her from a bygone era, but it also describes Frances Blair.

For years, the 80-year-old Blair has been working to keep Moon’s legacy alive in the white wood-paneled church where Moon taught Sunday School before her legendary missionary work in China.

Blair and Moon are kindred spirits of sorts. Moon died on her way home from China in 1912 — 17 years before Blair was born — yet Blair talks about Moon as if she were a close friend.

“Somebody told me the other day, ‘You talk about her like you knew her personally.’ And I said, ‘No, but it just touched my heart, the things that I have read about this lady and the sacrifice she made for her God ‘”

“Come into God’s house!” said Blair, as she proudly opened the doors of Hardware Baptist.

The history of the 207-year-old church is evidenced in its slave balcony and spittoons from the days when slaves came to church with their masters and country church services were thought to be too long to go without chewing tobacco. A cabinet in the church foyer displays Lottie Moon memorabilia, including yellowed photographs.

Despite their upbringings in church, both Moon and Blair were indifferent to God until they reached adulthood. Moon rebelled against Christianity until she was in college. In December 1858, she dedicated her life to Christ. Blair was baptized at age 9 after a fire and brimstone message, but it wasn’t until she heard the truth presented to her in an unlikely place — a barstool in a tavern — that Jesus became more than just a name. After that she began to take an active role in the church.

Blair has been the cornerstone of the missions program at Hardware Baptist and served as its WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union) director for several years. But there’s been no WMU program at Hardware since Blair stepped down. Most of Hardware’s 25-30 members are elderly. About 14 attend services regularly.

Still, Blair has kept the work of their famous congregant at the forefront and championed giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, in keeping with the mentoring Blair received from women in the church to be an advocate for missions.

Blair worries that busyness and distractions have caused some people to neglect nurturing the next generation to have a love for missions like Lottie Moon did.

“Jesus said go to all the world — all the world — not just here or next door but to the whole world,” Blair said.

Caroline Anderson is a writer for the International Mission Board. For more information about the missions offering named for Lottie Moon, visit imb.org/offering.

Tuesday Afternoon

From Esther Rodriguez

Please add Rufus”Butch”Cutrer and the family on the prayer link as they see the oncologist today. Thank you, Esther


Lanagene Nicolosi
(October 17, 1948 – December 21, 2009)


Lanagene Nicolosi

Passed away at 8 p.m. on Monday, December 21, 2009 at her residence in Amite. She was a native of Independence, LA. Age 61 years. She was a member of St. Helena Catholic Church and was a Radiology Tech, CT Tech and Mammographer for Lakeview Regional Medical Center. She is survived by her her husband, Sal A. Nicolosi, Amite; daughter, Charlotte L. Lee and husband, Tony, Amite and son, Charles D. Lebo, Loranger; step-daughter, Lisa Culbreath and husband, Wayne, Hammond; step-son, Peter J. Nicolosi, Baton Rouge; grandchildren, Kody A. Sticker and Rebecca Landry, Devin Lebo, Kristen Lebo, Jordan Lee, Casey Culbreath, Caitlyn Culbreath and Landon Nicolosi; sister, Penny Strong and husband, Mike, Amite; brother, Van Easley and wife, Melissa, Amite; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Peter J. Nicolosi and Beatrice Monistere Nicolosi. She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther Easley and Verlie Mixon Easley Davidson. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Wednesday and from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. Religious Services at St. Helena Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Thursday. Services conducted by Fr. Joe Camilleri and Deacon Michael Agnello. Interment Friendship Cemetery, Amite, LA.

Agnes Amanda Anderson McClendon
(October 8, 1923 – December 21, 2009)

Agnes Amanda Anderson McClendon

Died at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, December 21, 2009 at Hood Memorial Hospital in Amite, LA. She was a native and resident of Amite, LA. Age 86 years. She retired after 45 years with the Tangipahoa Parish School Board as a teacher and supervisor. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma. Visitation at St. Helena Catholic Church, Amite, from from 8 a.m. on Wednesday until religious services at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Services conducted by Fr. Joe Camilleri. Interment Amite Cemetery, Amite, LA. Survived by daughter, Elizabeth McClendon Cain and her husband, Clay, Amite, 2 sons, Robert Spec McClendon, II and his wife, Carmen Maria, Amite, and Eric Reiley McClendon, Amite, 9 grandchildren, Cory Bryan Blunk and his wife, Rachel, Ann Cain, Clay Cain, Jr. and his wife, Allison, Lauren Cain, Robert Cain and his wife, Amber, Camy Marie McClendon, Jessica Katherine McClendon, Eric Reiley McClendon, II, and Olivia Caroline McClendon, 3 great-grandchildren, Kaleigh Brianne Powell, Madison Claire Cain, and Cayden Randal Cain, sister, Pearl Fazekas and her husband, Dan, Baton Rouge. Preceded in death by husband, Robert Spec McClendon, daughter, Ann Carroll McClendon Blunk, granddaughter, Amy Caroline McClendon, parents, Eric and Fannie Anderson, sister, Hildur Hutchinson, and brother, Lenoir Porter. McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, in charge of arrangements.

“Miss” Agnes was my teacher, my c0-worker, and later my supervisor.  She set high expectations for herself and other.

Tuesday

“For my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel.”

~Luke 2:30-32~

Will you please add my brother Keith’s wife Donna on the prayer link. She will have foot surgery in Hammond tomorrow.
Thank you,
Lawana (Carter)

Pray for the shut-ins today.  Pray someone, maybe you, will remember them and take some time to visit this week.

Lottie Moon information that will inform you and others:

http://www.imb.org/main/give/lmw/Story.asp?StoryID=8016&LanguageID=1709

Carole Kemp Stevens
(July 2, 1943 – December 20, 2009)

Carole Kemp Stevens passed away on December 20, 2009 at Baton Rouge General Medical Center. Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at Amite Memorial Gardens in Amite. She was born July 2, 1943 in Amite where she grew up. She graduated from Amite High School. She is survived by three sisters, Katherine Cockrell and Deanie Kemp of Baton Rouge and Nell Clement of Denham Springs, two brothers, Bill Kemp of Baton Rouge and Hillery Kemp of Many, eleven nieces and nephews, several great nieces and great nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Willie and Thelma Kemp of Hillsdale and Blairstown respectively and a brother, Roland Kemp. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

Sheep

NEAR THE VILLAGE of Gevas in eastern Turkey, while shepherds ate their breakfast, one of their sheep jumped off a 45-foot cliff to its death…

Then, as the stunned shepherds looked on, the rest of the flock followed. In all, 1,500 sheep mindlessly stumbled off the cliff. The only good news was that the last 1,000 were cushioned in their fall by the growing woolly pile of those who jumped first. According to The Washington Post, 450 sheep died.
The Bible often refers to human beings as sheep (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 53:6; Matt. 9:36). Easily distracted and susceptible to group influence, we would rather follow the crowd than the wisdom of the Shepherd.

Whom are we following? One another? Or the voice and direction of the Good Shepherd? Our challenge is to avoid the mistake of the sheep who blindly followed one another over a cliff. We must make it our daily purpose to ask ourselves: Am I listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd? Am I following Him? (Mart De Haan)

Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare. (Thrupp)

“I am the Good Shepherd . . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” ( John 10:14,27).

Posted by Mike Benson

Jesus is the reason for the season!  Merry CHRISTmas!

Anna Lee