New Requests: Adam and Kristin Shaw Families
Continuing Requests:
Cancer Patients: Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara McCann,
Kathy Sower, Edith Westfall, Alexandra Mason, Ramona Lyle, Tammy Stone
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, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert, Jim Vergne, Reno McGlone, Jack
Esham, Malcolm Roe
Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the
“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Happy Birthday or Anniversary
May 13 Owen McCann
May 15 Jerry/Carmaleta Miller
May 17 Tammy Cox
May 18 Lynda Greene

REMINDERS
Bible Study Tonight—1st Corinthians—6:30
Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May

Aills Christian Church Services

Sunday School—10:00
Mother’s Day Program
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes

Church Services—10:45
Hymn—262
Prayer Hymn— 478
Hymn—503
Sermon—” Appreciating Mother”
Invitation Hymn— 55
Communion Hymn—317
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some
Soul Upon My Heart”

The Journey Of A Mother

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this the long way?” she asked.  And the guide said “Yes, and the way is hard.  And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning”
Since the young mother was happy, she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.  So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them, and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog, and do their homework and brush their teeth.  The sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”
Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.”
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary.  But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.” So the children climbed, and as they climbed they learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world. Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope, but most of all… unconditional love.
The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent.  But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage.  And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children.”
And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers. One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.  And mother said: “I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them.  And the children said, “You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.” And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her.  And they said: “We cannot see her, but she is with us still.  A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.”
Your Mother is always with you. She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick and perfume that she wore, she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well, she’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day. She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colors of a rainbow, she is Christmas morning. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she’s crystallized in every tear drop.  A mother shows every emotion… happiness, sadness, fear, jealousy, love, hate, anger, helplessness, excitement, joy, sorrow… and all the while, hoping and praying you will only know the good feelings in life.
She’s the place you came from, your first home, and she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy, but nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space… not even death!
A Mother

A Mother is a special person In the eyes of Jesus Christ,
Who cherished His own mother To the very end of  life.
Mothers have hands so gentle, To soothe away the pains;
Ears to hear all problems, And help set them right again
A Mother’s heart is open When a wayward child returns;
Forgiveness shows a part of love For which her child now yearns.
Mothers never do give up On any straying child
But teach them courage as they grow, Remaining meek and mild.
A hug is always ready, Waiting at the door
When the grown child comes home To mother’s arms once more.
God bless you today dear mother For the trials you’ve been through
To raise your baby, now full grown May God the Father honor you.

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Birthdays May 9 Mike Edington,

                   May 13 Owen McCann

                                       REMINDERS

Ham Dinner Today

Bible Study Tonight—Daniel Chapter 12 & Review—6:30

Teacher Appreciation Week—Thank a Teacher
Next Sunday is Mother’s Day—Bring your mother to church with you

Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May

Aills Christian Church Services

Sunday School—10:00
Hymn—358
Hymn— 262
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes

Church Services—10:45
Hymn—296
Prayer Hymn—249
Hymn—188
Sermon—”Lucky Man”
Invitation Hymn—22
Communion Hymn—317
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some
Soul Upon My Heart”

                                                                     Teachers on the 8th day

On the 6th day, God created men & women. On the 7th day, He rested. Not so much to recuperate, but rather to prepare himself for the work He was going to do the next day. For it was on the 8th day that God created the teacher.
The teacher, though taken from among men and women had several significant modifications. In general, God made the teacher more durable than other men and women.
The teacher was made to arise at a very early hour and to go to bed no earlier than 11:30 PM. With no rest in between. The teacher had to be able to withstand being locked up in an air-tight room with 35 little monsters on a rainy Monday. And the teacher had to be able to correct 103 term papers over Easter vacation.
Yes, God made the teacher tough – but gentle too. The teacher was equipped with soft hands to wipe away the tears of the neglected and lonely student… of the 16 year old girl who was not asked to the prom.
And into the teacher God poured a generous amount of patience. Patience when a student asks to repeat the directions the teacher has just repeated for someone else.
Patience when the kids forget their lunch money for the 4th day in a row. Patience when 1/3 of the class fails the test. Patience, when the text books haven’t arrived yet, and the semester starts tomorrow.
And God gave the teacher a heart slightly bigger than the average human heart. For the teacher’s heart had to be big enough to love the kid who screams, “I hate this class – it’s boring!” and to love the kid who runs out of the class at the end of the period without so much as a good bye or a thank you.
And lastly, God gave the teacher an abundant supply of hope. For God knew that the teacher would always be hoping. Hoping that the students would one day learn to spell… Hoping not to have lunchroom duty… hoping that Friday would come… hoping for a free day… hoping for deliverance.
When God finished creating the teacher, He stepped back and admired the work of His hands. And God saw that the teacher was good. Very Good. And God smiled, for when He looked at the teacher, He saw into the future. He knew that the future is in the hands of the teachers.
And because God loves teachers so much, on the 9th day God created…. “SNOW DAYS”

Why Teachers Weep

Then Jesus took his disciples up on the mountain and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, Blessed are the meek, Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are you who thirst for justice, Blessed are you who are persecuted, Blessed are the peacemakers . . .”
And Simon Peter said, “Do we have to write this stuff down?”
And Phillip said, “Will this be on the test?”
And John said, “I’m sorry. Would you mind repeating that?”
And Andrew said, “John the Baptist’s disciples don’t have to learn this stuff!”
And Matthew said, “Huh?”
And Judas said, “What does this have to do with real life?”
Then, one of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, said, “I don’t see any of this in your syllabus. Do you have a lesson plan? Is there a summary? Where is the student guide? Will there be any follow-up assignments? How will this affect the bell curve?”
And Thomas, who had missed the sermon, came to Jesus privately and said, “Did we do anything important yesterday?”
And Jesus wept.
Jesus Is The Bread Of Life
Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven above
to give life to those who believe on him because of His great love
He left the ivory palaces to come to a world of strife
so that whoever eats of this bread will have everlasting life
Jesus is the living water the only water with an abundant supply
a thirst quenching everlasting fountain that never shall run dry
Eating the bread of life and drinking from Jesus’ well
will save your soul for eternity and keep you from going to hell
This is the whole reason that Jesus was born in a manger one day
to save us from our sins when we call on him and pray

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

New Requests: Mildred Owens Family
Continuing Requests: Patty Dubose, Tammy Stone
Cancer Patients: Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara McCann,
Kathy Sower, Edith Westfall, Alexandra Mason, Ramona Lyle
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, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert, Jim Vergne, Reno McGlone, Jack Esham
Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the
“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

REMINDERS
Bible Study Tonight—Daniel Chapter 11—6:30
Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May
Jesus Helping Hands Ham Dinner—May 6

Aills Christian Church Services

Sunday School—10:00
Hymn—206
Hymn—330
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes

Church Services—10:45
Hymn—181
Prayer Hymn— 118
Hymn—328
Sermon—”When”
Invitation Hymn— 303
Communion Hymn—320
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some
Soul Upon My Heart”

Little Boy’s Explanation of God — Fabulous!!! – Out of the Mouths of the Babes–

I certainly don’t think an adult could explain this more beautifully!
It was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, CA.  He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to ‘explain God.’  I wonder if any of us could have done as well ?
(and he had such an assignment in California, and someone published it, I guess miracles do happen!)
  EXPLANATION OF GOD:
‘One of God’s main jobs is making people.  He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth.  He doesn’t make grownups, just babies.  I think because they are smaller and easier to make.  That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk.  He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.’
  ‘God’s second most important job is listening to prayers.  An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime.  God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this.  Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.’
  ‘God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy.  So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.’
  ‘Atheists are people who don’t believe in God.  I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista.  At least there aren’t any who come to our church.’
  ‘Jesus is God’s Son.  He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him.  But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.’
  ‘His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore.  He could stay in heaven.  So he did.  And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God.  Like a secretary, only more important.’
  ‘You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.’
  ‘You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!
  Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach.  This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.’
  ‘If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can.  It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.’
‘But. . .you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you.  I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And…that’s why I believe in God.’

IT’S NOT TOO LATE

It’s not too late…the angel said
Even though the world’s a mess…
Even though you’re not that young…
Even though you’ve made mistakes and have been afraid
It’s not too late…
And then I saw the world through the angel’s eyes…
I saw the colors I could paint
The bridges I could build
The lives that I could touch
The dreams that could still come true
And it became very clear to me…
That it’s not too late
To accept Christ as my Lord and Savior.

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

REMINDERS
Bible Study Tonight—Daniel Chapter 10—6:30
Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May
Jesus Helping Hands Ham Dinner—May 6

Birthdays This Week

April 26 Rob Sullivan
April 26 Breanna Walker
April 28 Bev Iery

Aills Christian Church Services

Sunday School—10:00
Hymn— 292
Hymn—265
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes

Church Services—10:45
Hymn— 215
Prayer Hymn—243
Hymn—262
Sermon—”What’s Your Sign”
Invitation Hymn—55
Communion Hymn—428
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some
Soul Upon My Heart”

Earth Day—April 22, 2010
Earth day is intended for all of us to recognize how we influence our limited resources from our planet.

All Things Beautiful
by C.F. Alexander

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful –
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,
The river, running by,
The morning, and the sunset
That lighteth up the sky.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden -
He made them, every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who hath made all things well.

Let’s keep the earth the way God made it:
Pick up trash, do not litter, recycle, plant a tree, create an energy efficient home, etc…………..

God, What Have We Done?

I don’t know why I waited.
My heart was heavy when I saw the bird just standing there drenched in oil. I don’t know what, if any, emotions a bird can feel, but it looked humiliated and confused.
My heart heard it say, “What did I do to deserve this?”
I whispered, “I’m sorry!”
It was then that I asked God, “What have we done?”
He gave us a perfect place to live and we turned it into our play ground thinking only of ourselves.
Move the wildlife, ignore the environment. Our needs supersede all others.
We need more oil to keep up with the demand so pollution is “collateral damage.” A phrase I heard once spoken about innocent civilians killed in the war.
We are screaming at BP, boycotting their company for mistakes they made when in the long run, in the reality of it all, you and I are to blame.
We are the reason oil companies drill. We are the reason that, even in my own backyard, gas companies are leasing beautiful, natural land and farms, so that they can pump chemicals into the ground to release gas deposits. They call this “fracking.”
Already water systems have been polluted, and the earth changed in ways we will one day regret.
“God, what have we done?”
He gave us perfection and we are stealing away its wealth.
He gave us clean and we dirtied it.
He gave us beautiful skies and we polluted them.
He gave us wildlife and we are killing them off through over consumption and chemical mis-management.
He called it creation, we call it evolution.
He called it natural and we call it “collateral damage.”

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

“God, what have we done?”

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

REMINDERS
Board Meeting after church today
Bible Study Tonight—Daniel Chapter 9
Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May

Aills Christian Church Services

Sunday School—10:00
Hymn—221
Hymn—211
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes
Church Services—10:45
Hymn—95
Prayer Hymn—428
Hymn—188
Sermon—”Job Application”
Invitation Hymn—63
Communion Hymn—317
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some Soul Upon My Heart”

The Blood Of Jesus

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.
It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor’s son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began. You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.
The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry the pastor’s son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be. He began to speak and his statement was this: “My fiancee’s past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?” The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus…. end of case!!!
Name Them One By One

It was a typical Indiana spring day. Outside the house, it was raining. Inside the house, it was raining. Water slowly dripped from the ceiling, reminding me that when you replace your own roof, there’s nobody to get mad at when it leaks.
I should be a pretty good roofer, I spent two summers roofing when I was in college. Of course that was in West Texas, where rainfall averaged 16.5 ounces a year (prior to last year’s drought). Could it be that I was a really bad roofer all along and just never had my work tested?
I opened the closet, took out my wife’s green raincoat and my Indiana Jones hat, and headed outside. I stood under the edge of the garage, looking sternly up at the spot where the leak was, hoping that if I stared at it long enough and hard enough it would stop. It didn’t.
Out came the ladder, and up I went. I began squirting sticky black roofing cement into the roof valley, pressing it into place with my finger. As I worked, the rain continued to fall. Eventually, a perfect rain channel formed down the back of my coat, funneling all the water that hit my back directly down into the back of my pants.
And then it happened. As I stood there in the rain, I heard the bells at the nearby retirement home begin to chime. And as the notes played, the words to a great old hymn came into my mind: “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed . . .”
I began to smile as the song continued: “When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost.”
“Here it comes,” I thought. The bells sang, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”
I stood on the roof, soaking wet, my hands covered with tar, grinning and singing, “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings and see what God has done.”
And so I did . . .
It was 75 degrees outside instead of 35. I had some extra roof cement in the garage. The water could have leaked one foot away, onto the computer. I did actually have an hour of unscheduled time available (softball practice was rained out). All in all, as roof leaks go, it was a pretty small one. And the bells reminded me of that.
You may read this and say, “Well, Mark’s just one of those saccharine-sweet smilers, a guy who always sees the glass as ‘half-full’.” Wrong!
My glass is completely full, and runs over every single day with blessings. And while there are days that I’m too pig-headed or self-centered to see it, most days I am amazed at what I have. And even though I don’t know you, my guess is that your days are mostly pretty good too.
“Count your blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday on April 10 to Chuck McCann & Eric McCann
on April 12 to Karen Stafford

REMINDERS
Easter Egg Hunt after church
Ladies Meeting—Thursday—April 12—6:00
Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May

Aills Christian Church Services
Sunday School—10:00
Hymn—428
Hymn— 256
Announcements
Dismissal Prayer to classes
Classes
Church Services—10:45
Hymn—95
Prayer Hymn—189
Hymn—188
Sermon—”The Mourning”
Invitation Hymn—303
Communion Hymn—317
Closing Remarks
Closing Verse—”Lord Lay Some
Soul Upon My Heart”

A Thought for Easter

Had Christ refused to bear the cross
And fill the Father’s plan,
Perhaps a new way could have been
Prepared for fallen man.
Yet Jesus chose to set aside

Earth’s trappings that would bind,
And He alone is worthy now:
Savior of all mankind.
Throughout the ages He will be
Eternal Sovereign Lord,
Rejoicing for eternity

…He chose Heaven’s reward

It’s Friday. But Sunday’s coming—
By Dr. Tony Campolo
It was a simple sermon, starting softly, building in volume and intensity until the entire congregation was completely involved, repeating the phrases in unison. The sermon went something like this.
It’s Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter’s denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday; but Sunday’s a coming.
It’s Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday; but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry. But Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. And at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it, but Sunday’s a coming.
And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.
Now it’s Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn’t the only thing that was shaking because now it’s Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it’s Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it’s Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.
It’s Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It’s Sunday. And now everything has changed. It’s the age of grace, God’s grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it’s Sunday.
At the end of the message the pastor shouts out: It’s Friiidaaaay!
And the whole congregation responds: But Sunday’s Coming!

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Prayer Requests

New Requests: Wilma Hardy

Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore

Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara

McCann, Kathy Sower, Edith Westfall, Alexandra Mason, Chris Frost, Ramona Lyle,

Mike Poynter

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, Carol Wills, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert, Westy Adams,

Leland Roberts

Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the

“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled, Tornado Victims

Birthdays Happy Belated Birthday to Meredith Viprino—March 12

March 18 Jason Cox

REMINDERS

Bible Study Tonight— Daniel 5 & 6—6:30

Play Practice—Saturday—March 24—2:00-3:30

Bring in napkins for Sugarloaf during the months of April and May

The Fragrance Of Spring

The fragrance of the Lilacs in bloom,
On a sunny spring day, with tulips and pansies,
In colorful display…
The splendor of the Dogwoods and Crab Apple trees
Paint pictures so appealing,
Even the birds sing their praise.
Weeping Willows beside a quiet brook,
Dangle lacy green tassels to earth,
Butterflies hover close by,
The whole land is given new birth.
What a great adventure, Spring can give to you and me,
When we stop rushing around long enough to look and see.
What man can make a butterfly? Or put a rainbow in the sky?
Or make an eagle soar, above the earth so high?
Who can order the wind to blow, or tell the clouds to disappear?
Or put the fragrance in the Lilacs? Or hang stars in the Hemisphere?
Only God, the Master of the Universe,
Can create such delightful gifts,
That puts a new song on thankful hearts, and give lonely hearts a lift!

Planting Happiness

Last year, I placed a flower pot on my patio.
It was only half-filled with potting soil.  There wasn’t any sign of life.  There were no seeds to grow.  So as you can imagine the flowerpot remained barren.
Last week, I decided that the neglected flower pot needed a little lift.  I went to a garden shop and checked out the blooming plants.  While trying to decide which flowers to purchase, I went to another store and ran across some flower seeds.  I picked up one of the packages and read the instructions for planting.
“I am up for the challenge,” I thought.  Many people have green thumbs, but I have always insisted that I don’t.  Either I water my plants too often or not enough.  I either bake the plant in the sunshine or place it in areas that are too shady.  I know some plants like it hot and wet, while others like it dry and shady.  But for the life of me, I cannot remember which are which.
As I stood holding the envelope of seeds, I felt the urge to see if for the first time I could actually make something grow.  I purchased several packages and returned home with a gardener’s determination and drive.  I immediately planted the seeds in the almost forgotten flower pot.  For a couple of days nothing happened. But I continued to water the soil.
On the fourth day, I actually saw green sprouts as they had just broken through the soil.  I was so excited.  The tiny shoots brought a smile to my face.  I called Roy to come to look at them.  Maybe my thumb wasn’t completely off-colored after all!  Maybe I could make something grow!
I thought about how growing flowers are much like growing happiness.  Our lives are sometimes like the empty pot.  Our days are filled with worldly tasks and possessions.  But because worldly things are of such little importance, we lack a feeling of completeness.  We sense there is something missing.
The missing ingredients in my flower pot were the things that created life itself — seeds.  The things that we may be missing in life are seeds of hope, love, faith, and determination.
When we accept the fact that our life gardens will produce exactly what we plant, we become more concerned as to what we plant. I planted a variety of flower seeds that day.  I understand that the zinnia seeds will produce zinnias. The morning glory seeds will produce morning glories.
Likewise, if I plant happiness in my daily life, low and behold, I will find joy in everything I do.  If I plant negative thoughts inside my heart, I will only grow more discontented with each passing day.  Whatever is planted inside my heart will grow.
If we plant seeds of hope, we can expect miracles.
When we plant seeds of passion, love will come back to us.
The Bible tells us that without faith we cannot possibly please God.  Shouldn’t we all plant seeds of faith?  And if we plant seeds of determination, there is absolutely nothing that can stop us from being the persons God created us to be.  When God is pleased with us, our blessings multiply much like the blooms produced from a tiny seed.       In the next few days and weeks, I am expecting the tiny sprouts to grow taller.  Then I am expecting a flowerpot filled with blossoms.  The once neglected pot will hold beautiful flowers of assorted colors, simply because I planted faith along with those few seeds.
This past weekend, our granddaughters Hannah and Katie came for a visit.  Three-year-old Katie wasn’t initially fond of the idea of returning home.  When her Daddy told her that he had missed her, she looked up at him and whispered, “But Daddy, I was just so happy at Nana and Pa’s.”
We laughed together.  We played together.  We blew bubbles in the backyard.  We watched television together.  We went to the zoo. And we went on a picnic.  The weekend was ours to do nothing but to plant seeds of happiness in the hearts of our granddaughters.
Are you planting seeds of happiness in the hearts of those you love? 

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore

Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara

McCann, Kathy Sower, Ruth Hurst, Edith Westfall, Karen Flannigan,

Alexandra Mason, Chris Frost, Ramona Lyle

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, Carol Wills, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert, Westy Adams,

Leland Roberts

Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the

“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled, Tornado Victims

Birthdays and Anniversaries

March 13 Melvin Wills

March 15 Gary/Joann Vergne

March 18 Jason Cox

REMINDERS

Bible Study Tonight— Daniel 3 & 4—6:30

Drink, Steal, Swear & Lie

A man in Albuquerque has a motto he lives by every day. He says to listen carefully and live by these four rules: Drink, Steal, Swear, and Lie. We shake or head “no”, but he then says to listen while he explains his four rules. So here they are:

1. “Drink” from the “everlasting cup” every day.

2. “Steal” a moment to help someone that is in worse shape than you are.

3. “Swear’ that you will be a better person today than yesterday.

4.  And last, but not least, when you “Lie” down at night, thank God you live in America and have freedom.

I am not as good as I should be. I am not as good as I could be.

But THANK GOD

I am better than I used to be!

Our Savior

He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all!
He is the Architect of the universe and
The Manager of all times.

He always was, He always is, and He always will be…
Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!
He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!

He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!

The world can’t understand him,
The armies can’t defeat Him,
The schools can’t explain Him, and
The leaders can’t ignore Him.

Herod couldn’t kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn’t confuse Him, and
The people couldn’t hold Him!
Nero couldn’t crush Him,

Hitler couldn’t silence Him,
The New Age can’t replace Him, and
Donahue can’t explain Him away!
He is light, love, longevity, and Lord.

He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God.
He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure.
His ways are right,
His word is eternal,

His will is unchanging, and
His mind is on me.
He is my Redeemer,
He is my Savior,

He is my guide, and
He is my peace!
He is my Joy,
He is my comfort,

He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light, and

His goal for me is abundant life.
I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise,
The power of the powerful,
The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers,

The leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and
The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come.
And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size.
His goal is a relationship with ME!

He will never leave me,
Never forsake me,
Never mislead me,
Never forget me,

Never overlook me, and
Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
When I fall, He lifts me up!
When I fail, He forgives!

When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way!
When I am afraid, He is my courage!
When I stumble, He steadies me!

When I am hurt, He heals me!
When I am broken, He mends me!
When I am blind, He leads me!
When I am hungry, He feeds me!

When I face trials, He is with me!
When I face persecution, He shields me!
When I face problems, He comforts me!
When I face loss, He provides for me!

When I face Death, He carries me Home!
He is everything for everybody, everywhere,
Every time, and every way.
He is God, He is faithful.

I am His, and He is mine!
My Father in heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you’re wondering why I feel so secure, understand this…
He said it and that settles it.

God is in control, I am on His side, and
That means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Lori O’Keefe, Tornado Victims

Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore, Tammy Porter,

Jim Vergne, Nancy Kerr, Barbara Jordan, Ramona Lyle

Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara

McCann, Kathy Sower, Ruth Hurst, Edith Westfall, Karen Flannigan,

Alexandra Mason, Chris Frost

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, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert,

Westy Adams, Leland Roberts, Jessie Swearingen

Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the

“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Happy Birthday March 5 Kelly Nolen

Happy Anniversary March 7 John/Jacqui Cordle

REMINDERS

Bible Study Tonight— Book of Daniel—6:30

Time Changes Next Sunday—March 11

Gideons will be here on March 11

Studies in Wisdom

Wisdom is the voice of the Lord whispering
In our ear,
Telling us the truths about ourselves that
We’d rather never hear.

Wisdom is the eye that sees the shadow
Of death behind
Our multitude of grandiose schemes and
Plans made by the blind.

Wisdom is the hesitation we sometimes feel right
Before we talk,
And the instinct that tells us it’s often better
Simply to get up and walk.

Wisdom is the light within that illuminates
Our road ahead,
And shows us the twists and turns of fate,
And signs that we misread.

Wisdom is the common sense that crisis can
Bring on into play,
Convincing us in no uncertain terms to live
Only for this day.

The Three Little Trees

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: “I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I’ll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it’s way to the ocean. “I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I’ll be the strongest ship in the world!”

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. “I don’t want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they’ll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.”

Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.

The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell. “Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!” The first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong. It is perfect for me.” With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell. “Now I shall sail mighty waters!” thought the second tree. “I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!”

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me.” He muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, nor with treasure. She was coated with sawdust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead she was taken to a little lake.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. “What happened?” The once tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God.”

Many many days and night passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox. “I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. ” This manger is beautiful,” she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, “Peace.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. Suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth tremble with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God’s love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

So next time you feel down because you didn’t get what you want, just sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.

Swearingen

Continuing Requests: Jerry Love, Jason Cox, Ellen Moore, Tammy Porter,

Donna Jamison, Cathy Williams, Jim Bob Osman

Cancer Patients: Lanny Cooper, Earl Cooper, William Jordan, Angie Bussell, Tara

McCann, Kathy Sower, Ruth Hurst, Edith Westfall, Billy Barbour, Odist Riley, Karen

Flannigan, Alexandra Mason, Chris Frost

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, Teresa Gibson, Jenny Gilbert,

Westy Adams

Our Web Prayer Requests, Our Troops, Unspoken Needs, Missionaries, the

“Lost”, the Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually Troubled

Birthdays February 26 Grace Wills 

  The Fruit of the Spirit

We need to pray to God each day,
For His Spirit to fill our soul.
So we can experience His many fruits,
Just as Paul, His apostle told.

Because Jesus is our Savior,
His Spirit dwells within.
Let’s daily pray for self-control.
He’ll help us turn from sin.

If we love the Lord our Sovereign God
With all our heart, mind and being,
And love our neighbors as ourselves,
What joy and peace we’ll be seeing.

We should treat all others with kindness,
And practice patience in all we face.
Then our faithfulness will be evident,
At all times in every place.

Gentleness is a form of humility,
And a trait we all should show.
Then goodness and mercy will follow,
As His fruits from our heart does flow.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Galatians 5:22 NIV

Some Facts about Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
*** *** *** ***
One of my fondest memories of growing up is my father’s garden. It seemed my dad grew everything in his garden. In fact, he always grew enough to feed the entire neighborhood. Whenever people would stop by our home for a visit, they’d usually leave with a sack full of fresh vegetables and luscious fruit.

The kind of fruit my father grew is just one kind of fruit – natural fruit. There is also biological fruit, the offspring of animals and the children of people.

Then there is spiritual fruit, and that’s what God is talking about in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (NIV)

The question is: How do we develop these character qualities? Obviously, God doesn’t just zap us one day and suddenly these qualities materialize in our lives. He uses a process that involves a partnership with us and also the time to grow.

It requires partnership. The apostle Paul describes this partnership in Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV), where he says “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” but then he also says, “for it is God who works in you ….”

It’s important to note that Paul doesn’t say, “Work for your salvation.” The Bible clearly teaches we don’t have to work for our salvation. It is a free gift of God’s grace.

In a sense, Paul is talking about a spiritual workout, just like when you physically work out to develop or tone muscles. We’re to make the most of what we’ve been given. God provides the power for our spiritual growth, but we must flip the switch.

It requires time. It takes time for fruit to ripen, and in the same way, there’s no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. When you try to rush fruit, it doesn’t taste as good. If you’ve ever eaten tomatoes that have been artificially ripened to speed up the process, then you know there’s no comparing them to the wonderful taste of naturally, vine-ripened tomatoes. It takes time for fruit to ripen, and it takes time for spiritual fruit to ripen in your life.

You can begin by telling God right now that you want to be a productive, fruitful disciple, one who cooperates with his plan.

Ask God to use his Word to change the way you think. Invite the Holy Spirit to have free rein in your life. Don’t hold anything back. Ask God to help you respond to difficult people and unpleasant situations just as Jesus would. God wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life, so partner with God on your spiritual growth and watch what develops over time.

© 2012, Aills Christian Church. All rights reserved.