January 21st, 2012
New Requests: Roy Delbert Polley Family, Chance Dietrich Family,
Larry Carrington, Sherry McDonald, Leland Roberts
Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore, Teresa Gibson,
Weddington baby
Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara
McCann, Kathy Sower, Ruth Hurst, Edith Westfall, Billy Barbour, Lottie Cook,
Odist Riley, Karen Flannigan, Alexandra Mason
Elderly and Shut Ins and their Families: Maxine Soards, Helen Dixon, Ina Hurst,
Sammy Ginn, Gardena Ginn, Flora Wells, Charles Riley, Donald Lykins, Sr., Lance
O’Cull, Joe Hardy, Carol Wills, Marie Drexell, Louella Ruark
Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the
“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled
Birthdays January 27 Wanda Cox
REMINDERS
Sunday Night Services—Comparison of Religions
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SHOCKED IN HEAVEN
I was shocked, confused, bewildered as I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all, nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven who made me sputter and gasp–
the thieves, the liars, the sinners, the alcoholics and the trash.
There stood the kid from seventh grade who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine, looking incredibly well.
I nudged Jesus, “What’s the deal? I would love to hear Your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here? God must’ve made a mistake.
“And why’s everyone so quiet, so somber – give me a clue.”
“Hush , child,” He said, “they’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.”
JUDGE NOT… LEST YE BE JUDGED!
Remember… Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.
Every saint has a PAST… Every sinner has a FUTURE!
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
One day a man was walking along the seashore. He noticed that during the night many seashells and starfish had washed up on the shore. Thoroughly enjoying the morning sun and cool sea air, the man strolled for miles along the sand.
Far off in the distance, he saw a small figure dancing. The man was joyous that someone was celebrating life in such a grand and uninhibited manner. As he drew closer, however, it became apparent that the figure was not dancing, but repeatedly performing some act.
Approaching the small figure, the man noticed that it was a child. The girl was methodically picking up starfish from the shore and tossing them back into the surf. The man paused for a moment, puzzled, then asked, “Why are you throwing those starfish back into the ocean?”
“If I leave these starfish on the beach,” she replied, “the sun will dry them, and they will die. I am throwing them back into the ocean because I want them to live.”
The man was thoughtful for a moment, impressed with the child’s thoughtfulness. Then he motioned up and down the miles and miles of beach and said, “There must be millions of starfish along here! How can you possibly expect to make a difference?”
The young girl pondered the man’s words for a moment, then she slowly leaned over, reached down, and carefully picked up another starfish from the sand. With a gentle effort, she lobbed the starfish back out into the surf.
She turned to the man and smiled. “You may be right,” she said, “but I made a difference for that one!”
THE BOOK OF LIFE
I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer, And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done My soul could rest at ease.
All day long I had no time To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends, They’d laugh at me I’d fear.
No time, no time, too much to do, That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book; It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said “Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down…But never found the time.”
———-
I’d rather live as if God exists and die to find out He doesn’t, than to live as if there is no God and die to find out He does. Because life is but a moment in the realm of all eternity, and I’d rather Live with Him in paradise than burn in hell forever. – Anonymous
January 8th, 2012
New Requests: Odist Riley, Fred Young Family, Ruby Bivens Family
Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore, Teresa Gibson,
Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara
McCann, Kathy Sower, Ruth Hurst, Edith Westfall, Billy Barbour, Lottie Cook
Elderly and Shut Ins and their Families: Maxine Soards, Carrie Edington, Helen
Dixon, Ina Hurst, Sammy Ginn, Gardena Ginn, Flora Wells, Charles Riley, Donald
Lykins, Sr., Lance O’Cull, Joe Hardy, Carol Wills, Marie Drexell, Louella Ruark
Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the
“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled
REMINDERS
Sunday Night Bible Study—Comparing Religious Beliefs
Welcome Home Shower for Owen McCann on January 14 from 2:00-4:00
at the Senior Citizens Center in Vanceburg
Ladies Meeting—Thursday—January 12—6:00
Birthdays January 10 Rachel Edington
Warm Hearts
The cold weather of Winter returned to the mountains of my home recently. Several inches of fresh snow fell again covering the landscape in white. Steam rose from my breath as I walked my dogs outside. A quiet peace filled the woods around me as I smiled and breathed in deep the chill of the air. I didn’t mind that my nose was numb and my fingers felt like ice. I didn’t mind that my feet were cold and my lips were chapped. I didn’t even mind that my middle-aged bones were aching a bit. I didn’t mind any of it, because my heart was warm. My heart was warm with the beauty of the evening sunset over the far mountains. My heart was warm with the delight of watching my dogs jumping joyfully in the snow. My heart was warm with the peace and love of God that I felt within me and all around me while I walked over this sparkling field of white.
I was thinking too that if God can keep our hearts warm in the middle of a cold Winter’s day then God can keep our hearts warm in the middle of a sometimes cold world. Yes, this world is often full of heart freezing hate, bone chilling apathy, and bitterly cold meanness. Sometimes we worry about even going out in it for fear that it will turn our own souls to ice. God’s love, however, is always there waiting to keep us warm and waiting to help us warm the world around us as well.
God loves us so much. He gives us so much peace, love, joy, beauty, and delight to warm our hearts, souls, and minds. He gives us so many opportunities to choose and share this glorious warmth everyday of our lives. He gives us all the chance to be one with Him and to help Him bring this warmth to the world. It is up to us, however. We can wrap ourselves and others in the warm coat of God’s love and joy or we can continue to shiver out in the cold.
The Gift
It was almost the middle of January and the snow had been on the ground since before Christmas. Storm after storm had hit us with no breaks in-between. Almost 6 feet of the white stuff had fallen in 6 weeks here. The bitterly cold temperatures had largely kept the snow from melting too. The arctic air had crept through the walls of my house and into my bones as well. All in all, it was the prefect recipe for a case of the Winter blahs.
To lighten my mood then I got out my old Christmas records that I had owned since I was a boy. I turned on the old record player I had bought at a yard sale a few years ago and put the needle to the vinyl. Soon the sweet sounds of “Silver Bells”, “Silent Night”, “Joy to the World”, “Carol of the Bells”, and “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” filled the air. Even the January snow looked more beautiful with “The Christmas Song” playing in the background. As I sang along I could feel the loving and joyous music heat up my heart and my home. It didn’t matter that my home was no longer decorated, that there was no tree in the corner or presents under it, or that Christmas dinner had been replaced with hot dogs today. What mattered was that the gift of Christmas lived on inside of me. What mattered was that God’s Love and Oneness filled my spirit not just on December 25th but every single day of my life.
Don’t put the gift of Christmas up on some shelf on December 26th . Unwrap it and carry it in your heart all through the year. Its spirit will warm your Winter, brighten your Spring, make your Summer more special, and put even more Awe in your Autumn. It will remind you of God’s unconditional love for you and help you to keep your own life focused on love as well. It will allow you to live everyday from your soul. And it will even allow you to sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” be it December, May, January, or June.
Teach Me
Touch me, Spirit; teach me – to walk in all God’s ways.
Open my eyes and help me see, God’s plan for me this day.
Touch my soul and heal me, cleanse my thoughts and mind.
God’s child I always want to be, since I’m no longer blind.
Teach me how to love You; to obey all Your commands.
Teach me to love others too, for this You do demand.
Teach me to forgive; forget, and teach me these things, too;
to have faith and not to fret, but to put my trust in You.
Teach me to turn the other cheek; to not repay wrong for a wrong.
Teach me to be gentle; meek; to know in Jesus I am strong.
Teach me how to seek Your Face, and how to listen to Your Voice.
Then, when Satan gives me chase, I’ll make the correct choice.
Teach me to accept Your will, even when I don’t understand.
Teach me when to remain still, and when to make a stand.
Teach me to walk in all Your ways; to be obedient to You.
Then I can serve You all my days, and reach out to others too.
