Sunday


“We should choose to follow what is right.

But first of all we must define among ourselves what is good.”

~Job 34:4 LB~

Pray for Mrs. Ann Chapman to improve physically and for peace and comfort for the entire Chapman family.

Mr. Quincy M. Chapman, of Denham Springs, passed away Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009, at

Ochsner Medical Center of Baton Rouge. Services are pending through Seale Funeral Home,

Denham Springs.

Woodrow “Woody” Willson Hodges, Jr.

(February 22, 1957 – August 7, 2009)

Died at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, August 7, 2009 at Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center in Independence, LA. He was a native and a resident of Amite, LA. Age 52 years. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2009. He is survived by his wife, Sherry Hodges; son, Gerrid Hodges; step-son, Gary “Gator” McCarroll, Jr.; 3 grandchildren, Jacob Hodges, Danica Woodard and Brayden McCarroll; mother, Cosma Birch Hodges; sister, Louise Peterson; brother, Neil Currier. Preceded in death by father, Woodrow Hodges, Sr.

Alva Huey Hope

(March 6, 1931 – August 6, 2009)

U.S. Veteran He went home to be with his Lord and Savior on August 6, 2009. He was a native of Kentwood, LA , a resident of Denham Springs, LA and a U. S. Navy Veteran. Age 78 years. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday and from 11 a.m. until religious services at 1 p.m. Monday. Services conducted by Leland Hodges. Interment Hope-Oliver Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. Survived by 4 daughters, Valarie Hodges and her husband, Leland, Watson, Ouida Hedden and her husband, Pat, Gulfport, MS, Kathy Klein Urban and her husband, Danny, Cedar Park, TX and Judy Hall, Dallas, TX, 11 grandchildren, Michael, Kelly, Joshua, Chad, Brandon, Amber, Jennifer, Kristan, Timothy, Jessica, and Cody, numerous great-grandchildren, brother, John Donald Hope and his wife, Marsha, Harahan, 2 sisters, Dorothy Guy and her husband, Rand, Baton Rouge and Margaret James, Magnolia, MS, numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by, wife, Betty Jane Hope, who was buried at the National Cemetery in Dallas, TX, sons-in-law, Tommy Johnson, Wayne Hall and Bill Hall, twin brother, Otis Hope, 2 other brothers, Kenneth and Nolan, sister, Bill Goings.

Death

death.jpgBENJAMIN FRANKLIN IS accredited with saying that there is nothing in this life that is certain except death and taxes…

Funny, is it not, how neither seems to come at an opportune time? Death is something that we never come to grips with. We deny that it happens. We put it off until another day. We try to run ahead of it to ensure that it never catches up. Some even try to buy it off but they never succeed for death comes to us all.

However, this isn’t much comfort when our loved ones pass on. We have all lost someone near and dear to us. A grandparent. An uncle or aunt. A parent. A sibling. A close friend in the prime of life. And when these deaths occur in trivial circumstances, the pain is almost suffocating. A friend commits suicide. Another is taken in an automobile accident. A grandparent or parent who develops cancer is given only two weeks to live. An uncle is murdered.

It happens.

It shouldn’t.

But it does.

The pain that comes from death is worse than anything else that humanity can imagine or create. You see, death represents finality. That’s it. It’s the end of the line. They are gone. Your loved one is now only a memory. At least that is true for those who never know Christ. But for the ones who do, death is only a brief milestone between earth and eternity. (Michael Whitworth)

“…It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Posted by Mike Benson

Keep God in this Lord’s Day!

Anna Lee

Saturday

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

~Luke 19:10~

Don Denton

We arrived back from St. Louis very late last night.  Don had a follow up appt. with his neurologist at Barnes.  We drove up on Wednesday for his morning appointment on Thursday.

The feelings were a little scarey for me looking back at our last three hospitals stays up there and of course the very last one was much like the visit we had yesterday.  There was this voice inside of me that said…..”What if he relapses again like last time?”.

The truth is that Don has been sick for such a long period of time now that one begins to expect it and it is like sitting on the edge of your seat most of the time not knowing what is going to happen next.  Don has been in the hospital so many times, it has become a way of life for us.  When I tell people how many times he has been in a hospital over the last 11 months they look at me in horror.  And we have a young child as well as you know who has been through this too.

So, when the doctor looked at us yesterday and said with excitment in her voice that she sees improvement.  That she says he is  getting well.

She said some more time it will take, but he will teach again.  She said she does not wake up in the middle of the night wondering what she “missed” with the findings for Don anymore.  She can sleep knowing he will get better.

She continued to say that we need to put this behind us and go forward.  We need to continue to press forward.  She is an advocate for us going to Mayo to see this specialist to help with the dizziness, but it was so apparent to her that even that was improving.

It has not sunk in as of yet all that she saId to us yesterday.  But as I was sharing this with a friend of mine today, she burst out saying” Praise God!”

So please continue to pray for us as a family.  We do have the rest of the journey to healing, it will happen, he will be able to do the things he use to.  He will teach again.  He will be the daddy Joshua needs him to be and I will have my best friend back I can see it.

I know more of who I am as a result of this long difficult experience.  I know and understand that God loves me even when I am holding on with a thread.  I know that it is not up to me to “do all the right things”.   I know it is the shear grace of God.  I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I know that God promises that he will be with us.  That he will never leave us even when we feel that he is a million miles a way.

As Josh puts it:  It feel like it has been 10 thousand years since his daddy has been ill.  But Joshua has seen the grace of God.  Joshua has seen you all come around us and minister to us in a way that can only come from God.  Joshua has seen the church reach out to us in amazing ways to rescue us from falling off the edge.  And I have been humbled to see God’s hand upon us when I did not have the strength.

We are still pretty tired and weary now and it will take time for us to recover.  But God’s mercy and grace will be upon us through this too.  We take one day at a time.  I still don’t know what the outcome for us will be on many levels.  But that is Ok.  We will make it though this as a family.

And more importantly Don will be with us on the other side of this.  His body, mind and soul will heal.  He has been through the most difficult part of this.  We almost lost him.

And now I can begin to do life with a renewed hope and a faith that is more honest and real.  Not because of anything I have done, but because of God’s grace.  It is in the brokeness and the darkness that God has taught me to be more honest and real about who He is and about life.  I am learning to love in a deeper more real way as well.  God is a compassionate God.

I will continue to keep you posted on how Don is doing and we continue to work in the direction of getting to Mayo sooner.  Please continue to pray for us, we so need it.

The day is coming when Don will be well again and the day that he steps back into the class to teach will be a day of celebration.  I look forward to being able to tell you all about it.

Bless you our family and friends.
Diane

Baptist Press

August 7, 2009

WASHINGTON–ERLC analysis: House health bill ‘dangerous.’ http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31036

VIRGINIA–Land: Quality of life would suffer under health care bill. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31037

CANADA–Has APA given nod to Christian gay therapy? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31038

GEORGIA–Southern Baptists at ‘historical point,’ Hammond says. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31039

TENNESSEE–Workplace chaplains care for the unchurched. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31040

TENNESSEE–Marketplace Ministries marks 25th anniversary. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31041

TENNESSEE–CULTURE DIGEST: Antidepressant use doubles in U.S.; … http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31042

LOUISIANA–FIRST-PERSON (Kelly Boggs): Participatory democracy, on display. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31043

Mature

laughing.jpgTOP TEN SIGNS YOU’RE GROWING MORE “MATURE”

10. Your teeth spend the night in a jar.

9. You have an executive “lift” chair.

8. It takes you longer to go to sleep than it did to get tired.

7. You and the pharmacist are on a first-name basis.

6. It takes you twice as long to look half as nice.

5. The pressing question of your life is, “Where did I park the car?”

4. You get winded playing Bible Trivia.

3. You know all of the answers, but nobody asks you the questions.

2. You walk with your head held high…to see through your bifocals.

1. Shuffleboard doesn’t sound too bad.

The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” Proverbs 16:31

Posted by Mike Benson at May 21, 2009

Friday

Krisa and Emma Chapman are “on the mend”.  “Miss” Ann got to visit with Mr. Quincy for a while today.  She is getting stronger with the therapy she’s in and has always had inner strength, much more than most people.  Mr. Quincy’s children will be with him in the morning when the ventilator is removed.  Please be in continued prayer for the Chapman family.

Friday Evening

Averi Strickland, a sixteen year old, senior at KHS has had a stroke and is in Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.  You may remember his sister, a college student, passed away last school year.  As you pray for Averi, please pray for his mother and other family members.

Mr. Billy Brabham is in North Oaks.  The doctors are working to control his heart problems with medication.  Please keep him in your prayers.

Pray for my mother.  She continues to have health issues.  Thanks!

Friday

“You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You.”

~Psalm 31:22b~

Please continue to pray for the young mother and her baby.  I did not hear anything this morning.

Pray for the family of Mr. Quincy Chapman today.  Say a special prayer for “Miss” Ann.

From Mary Prescott

Jared (Prescott) went to the Dr. yesterday,  all the fluid is gone and he has been released.  Rusty (Benoit) went today and got some pretty good news.  It seems that his medication is working and helping his problem much better than expected.  He will be monitored every two months and if things change for the worse he will be sent to the Cleveland Hospital.  Some relief but it’s just a wait and see how things are going from month to month.
Please add Shirley Mouledoux to the list.  She is scheduled to have kidney surgery 08/20/09 for cancer.
Also, add George Mouledoux for prostate cancer.  They are in-laws.

Dukes

Thursday, August 6, 2009 10:47 PM, EDT

< addresses and a video. >
Dad and I are halfway home. We set out together late this afternoon, determined to drive about halfway today and the rest tomorrow. We are on the way to Orlando, stopping to give both of us a rest, but especially Dad’s legs.

The memorial celebration of Mom’s life was so amazing yesterday. The crowd was larger than any of us expected. The words shared were touching. The hugs given were sustaining. The life remembered was beautiful. It was such an infusion of joy and sadness surrounded by so many who loved on us and who loved Mom, that the day after is tough simply because of the loneliness.

The time with Dad has been sweet, though, again, as it has been over these months. We’ve talked with Erik and other family members by phone or in person today, as well. Thanks to all who loved on us yesterday. It meant so much.

Please check out my blog (http://www.jasoncdukes.com/) to see the video we showed as a tribute to Mom at the memorial service. Several people asked if I would post it. So, there you go.

Also, people asked Dad about two addresses. First, people wanted to know where to send donations in lieu of flowers. These donations will be added to the Dukes Recovery Fund that the Seminary set up for Mom and Dad. What Dad and his boys have decided is that the money in this fund will be dedicated to a scholarship for a selected Seminary couple each year in memory of Mom and in honor of Dad. If you desire to contribute, make checks payable to “New Orleans Baptist Seminary” with “dukes recovery fund” noted by letter or on the memo line. Here’s the address:

New Orleans Baptist Seminary
ATTN: Dr. Chuck Kelley
for the Dukes Recovery Fund
3939 Gentilly Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70126

The other address people asked Dad about was his home address. That address is:

Jimmy Dukes
14356 Bridgewater Crossings
Windermere, FL 34786

His email address is JimDukes@mac.com.

We can’t thank you enough for your love and support. If you are able to make it to Mom’s second memorial service in Orlando on August 18th on the campus of First Baptist Church Sweetwater in Longwood, FL, we will see you there.

We’ll post soon.
-jason

KOMpray

Kids on Mission Pray

Dangerous places

FOUR THOUSAND—that’s a really big number.  You can probably count that high; but it would take awhile, wouldn’t it?  Well, 4,000 people have had to leave their country in Southeast Asia and go live in another place.  They are called refugees, and they left their homes because it wasn’t safe.  They moved to several refugee camps—in one of those camps, there are more than 800 children and pregnant mothers.

Their home country told the refugees to come back immediately; but at the last minute, the United Nations stepped in.  They agreed it wasn’t really safe right now, so the country and the world leaders at the United Nations are talking about what to do.

Praise the Lord that these men, women and children didn’t have to go back while it was dangerous.  And ask God to help all the leaders to find a peaceful answer to this big problem.  There are still many people living where there is warfare and kidnapping.  Pray for the refugees that are Christians. Pray that they will not be afraid but will tell others about the love of Jesus.

Prayer Requests from Missionary Kids

Pray for the people in Hungry because not many people believe in Christ.  Also help all the deaf in Hungry including my parents to tell the gospel about Jesus.  ANDREW, age 10 (European peoples)

My Dad has some spine problems . . . and the doctors can’t fix it.  He is in pain a lot of the time.  I know this sounds cheesy, but I really need a friend right now.  I live in a small town and I can only reach friends by e-mail or phone.  So all I’m asking is for you to pray for me and my dad.  Thanks!  I pray for you too.  AMANDA, age 11 (East Asian Peoples)

Pray for the Deaf.  And the people in my country.  And for my friends.  TAYLOR, age 10 (American peoples)

I pray for the D people.  My family just met some D people.  M. E., age 11 (East Asian Peoples)

Please pray for me to not be mean to my brother and to play even when I do not want to.  NAMON, age 11 (Sub-Saharan African peoples)

Charlie.  She is my best friend.  She believes in a cat god.  Her parents believe that everything just evolved.  Plees pray for Charlie.  MAGGIE (South Asian peoples)

Pray that while we are in our area that many will come to Christ.  Please pray also that my relationship with God will be closer.  TIMOTHY, age 16 (East Asian Peoples)

I want to ask for prayer with my schooling next year.  For the last two years I have fallen behind and ended up pushing myself to the extreme for the last couple of months.  I get it done, but it is really hard.  CLARA, age 16 (East Asian Peoples)

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” Philippians 2:10
Mike Benson, Editor
A CENSUS TAKER walked up to a woman who was sitting on a porch…
After introducing himself, he said, “May I ask how many children you have, Ma’am?”
“Sure,” the woman answered, “I have four.”  To which the census taker replied, “May I have their names, please?”  The woman replied, “Eenie, Meenie, Minie, and George.”
The census taker smiled and chuckled a little, but when the woman didn’t laugh, he meekly asked, “Really?”  “Yes, really” said the woman, somewhat annoyed.
After a brief pause, the census taker couldn’t pass the opportunity to satisfy his curiousity, “May I ask why you named your fourth child ‘George’?”
“Surely,’ said the woman, “because we didn’t want any Moe!”
“A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Prov. 17:22
Posted by Mike Benson
Have a fantastic Friday!
Anna Lee

Thursday – Obituary

Margaret Lee Henson
Maggie Lee Henson

SHREVEPORT, LA – Margaret Lee Henson (Maggie Lee,) born in San Antonio, TX, on October 29, 1996, died Sunday, August 2, 2009 at Blair Batson Memorial Children’s Hospital in Jackson, MS., from injuries sustained in a tragic bus accident while the First Baptist Church of Shreveport Youth were en route to Passport Youth Camp.

Maggie Lee was the daughter of Rev. John Henson and Jinny Henson and the incredibly devoted sister to Jack Henson, age 10.

Maggie Lee attended First Baptist Church School where she was a cheerleader and enjoyed singing in Show Choir and Anchoring Patriot T.V. She loved attending Youth Group on Wednesday Nights and Sundays. Maggie Lee also loved to travel, having visited Florida numerous times as well as Seattle, Chicago, California, New York and Pennsylvania. Maggie Lee also attended Crestridge Camp for Girls in North Carolina.

More than anything she did, Maggie Lee was precious by the virtue of who she was. She had a hilarious sense of humor, writing talent, vibrant spirit and a deep love for her Savior, Jesus Christ, as evidenced in the way she lived her life. In the spirit of Maggie Lee’s consistent selflessness and generosity, her parents donated her organs and although many were badly damaged due to the accident, two children will have gotten their miracle because of her.

Besides being a phenomenal daughter, Maggie Lee was a loving Granddaughter, tremendous cousin and unbelievable friend. Maggie Lee was intensely loyal, true and kind. She made friends quickly in the different cities where her father pastored and maintained those friendships for life.

Maggie Lee dreamed of starring on Broadway and took weekly voice lessons to that end. Her annual talent show performances, whether acting or singing, were always a fun expression of her talent. Each summer, she spent a week in Dallas taking acting workshops.

Her family will miss all of the fun they would have on trips, watching favorite random TV shows together, jumping on the trampoline, daddy dates, Happy Belly’s and lemonade stands.

Maggie Lee is preceded in death by her Paternal Grandmother, Shirley Henson, and Maternal Grandfather Bill Richardson. She is survived by her parents, John and Jinny Henson, brother Jack Henson, Maternal Grandmother; Judy Richardson, Uncle Ted Richardson, Aunt Kelly Richardson, Cousins Will, Blaine, Ben and Ally Richardson, Uncle Brink Richardson, Aunt Theresa Richardson, Twin Cousin Madeline Richardson, Melanie Richardson, Brinkley, Bryce and Braden Richardson. Paternal Grandfather Tom Henson and Step-Grandmother, Sherolyn Henson, Uncle Scott Henson and Aunt Kathy Mitchell.

Visitation will be at Rose Neath Funeral Home on Marshall Street in Shreveport from 5-7pm on Wednesday, August 5. A Celebration of her life will be held at First Baptist Church of Shreveport on Thursday, August 6th at 1p.m. Maggie Lee’s body will be buried in Tyler, TX, at a private family service. Her spirit is already with Jesus Christ.

Shreveport Times.com

Thursday Afternoon

Maggie Lee Henson’s celebration of life was wonderful!  If you missed it, you can view the video at http://www.fbcshreveport.org/.  Maggie Lee certainly lived a life to be celebrated!  I pray that can be said about all of us.  Maggie Lee’s life of 12 years speaks highly for her and her family.

From Deloy Chapman

Pray for clarity of mind, friends. We’re looking at a 24 hour period…bar any miracles…before facing a decision regarding continuing Dad’s life support. For all we know, Dad may already be walking with the Lord while his old earthly body is being kept going by the ventilator. “Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You….”