Archive for 'Articles'

Freddie & Linda Hunt have a new granddaughter, Emory Faith, born May 29^th weighing 6 lbs and 19 inches long.  She is the daughter of Brian & Carole of Hawley.  Mother and baby are doing well.

Have you ever thought about the influence you have upon your children? No, I mean REALLY think about it! I mean to think about the short term and long term influence you are having in their lives.
The scripture speaks of raising our children in the way they should go. It also speaks of bringing them up with the discipline and instruction approved by the Lord. That really doesn’t give us a lot of insight into how to raise kids though, does it?
Through the years I think that I have discovered that raising kids has a lot to do with example. They learn far more from what they see is important in your life through your actions than just what you tell them is important.
If we begin to understand the power of example we begin to get some understanding of what Paul encourages us to do in Phil. 2:5-8 when he says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!”

That’s really what I’m getting at I guess, “What is your attitude towards life?” Because whatever you attitude is will be shown in your example of life to others. Our desire should be to follow the example of Christ and be an example of Him to those around us!
So, stop and think about your influence! What is really important to you? Because there is a good chance that the same thing will be important to your children (or others of which you may not even know). May God give us the ability to be what He wants us to be, faithful servants! God bless you all and have a great week!

Michael

Jacob Russell graduated from Tarleton State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration – Interdisciplinary Business degree.  His fiancé, Krysten Morgan, also graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration – Interdisciplinary Business degree.  They will be married June 5, 2009.  Jacob is Jerry & Zoie’s grandson.

You are invited to a Baby Shower honoring

Mrs. Collin (Tasha) Jacobs

Saturday, June 13, 2009

from 10:00-11:30 a.m.

at the Family Center 

Selections at: Target & Kids Village. 

Nursery colors are crème, beige & light pink.

Shepherd & Ruhtt Mbumwae will be moving back to Zambia soon.  We will honor them with a hamburger supper Wednesday, June 17^th.  The Ladies’ Ministry is filling bags for the three children, Manuel 12, Melina 8 & Miguel 5, for the flight home.  If you would like to help fill them we need airplane-friendly items: fun pad coloring books, word search books, traveling games, or other items the kids can enjoy.  If you have questions, please see Amber.  You may put your donations in the box in the south foyer.

Where has the time gone? We are at the end of another school year. The summer is almost here and things will be slightly empty with all the Vacations going on throughout the summer. It seems like just yesterday our children were learning to walk. Now some of them are about to graduate from High School.

We are delighted to have 10 seniors who will be walking across the stage to receive their diplomas. They will be graduating this Friday Night and soon they all will be deciding what to do after that. We are privileged to have had them with this congregation for the short time we were given.

What my advice to the 2009 graduates is listen to God. He opens doors for reasons that you may not see now. He also closes doors that are not in your best interest that you may not agree with. God sees the big picture, Trust Him. He will not steer you wrong. Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Find comfort in the Lord and He will always give you the true joys of this life. Remember Phil. 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Praise God for this special day for all 10 of you and may it be a stepping stone that will change lives. God bless you Class of 2009!

Have a great week, Michael

    I received a note and it was simply a quote that speaks about living our lives. It said, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, “WOW! What a ride!”
    I really like this saying! I did some research to try and find out who the author of this quote was, but was unsuccessful. What surprised me was how many times this had been quoted by others, literally hundreds of times! That tells me that there are a lot of people out there who are struggling with trying to live a life that they feel has some meaning. A life that goes beyond just being born, living a while and then dying without meaning or purpose.
    I like to think that I live life testing the limits and stretching the safety harness, but sometime get the almost uncontrollable urge to play it safe! I have to fight it though and go ahead and live life anyway and take chances that sometimes seem foolish to others. No, I don’t drive racecars or go skydiving (yet), but both my wife and I do take chances that others would think are foolish, chances that take us out of our comfort zone.
    Let me tell you the secret to being able to do that! To do that it demands that we realize that God IS in control of this world, but also that this world is only temporary. What is important is what we take with us when we leave this world and stand before God. If you haven’t figured it out yet, the only thing we take with us is ourselves when we leave this earth. Again the writer of the book of Hebrews says in Hebrews 9:27 “And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment.”
My prayer today is that you might be able to overcome the tough times in your life by seeing the bigger picture and understanding who is in control of ALL things. God bless you all and have a great week! - Russ Lawson

Have a blessed week!

Michael

Here are some facts about mothers. Enjoy!

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you’ve had a baby … somebody doesn’t know that once you’re a mother, “Normal,” is history.
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct … somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
Somebody said being a mother is boring …… somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver’s permit.
Somebody said if you’re a “good” mother, your child will “turn out good” … somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.
Somebody said “good” mothers never raise their voices ….. somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor’s kitchen window.
Somebody said you don’t need an education to be a mother … somebody never helped a fourth grader with her math.
Somebody said you can’t love the fifth child as much as you love the first … somebody doesn’t have five children.
Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books … somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery …. somebody never watched her “baby” get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten, or on a plane headed for military “boot camp.”
Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back … somebody never organized four giggling Brownies to sell cookies.
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married …. somebody doesn’t know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother’s heartstrings.
Somebody said a mother’s job is done when her last child leaves home …. somebody never had grandchildren.
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don’t need to tell her … somebody isn’t a mother. - Unknown

Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers. God bless you all and have a great week!

Michael

Waymon Adcock’s 90th Birthday  celebration has been changed to May 9th from 2:00 – 4:00 at the Merkel Museum.

    God expects great things from His people. And He equips us for that purpose. Paul said in Ephesians 4:11-12, “And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for building up of the body of Christ,” He didn’t say He appointed these to do all the work but to help train all to build the body.

    When Nehemiah undertook the task of rebuilding the wall, he did not do it alone. Nehemiah had help in his task. God was surely involved, no doubt about that. But the people were also. First, he told the people what God wanted him to do. Nehemiah 2:18 says “I told them how the hand of my God had been gracious to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me.” And this caused the people to become excited to do God’s will. He goes on and says, “Then they said, “Let us start building.” So they put their hands to the good work.” This is what God expects from us today also.

    Did God force them to do something they didn’t want to do? I don’t think so. Look at chapter 4:6, “So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” We can accomplish the building up of the church too, if we have the mind to work. Not just you, not just me, but all of us. Let’s set our minds on the things above, the things God desires. Have a great week!

                                                                                                                       Michael