Monday, Feb. 1st, 2010
February 1, 2010 by kemerson
Filed under News and Notes
News and Notes: Monday, February 1st
GOSPEL MEETING: Our meeting with Tony Mauck is just a 2 weeks away!
February 14th-18th… Monday through Thursday… Flyers will be available soon!
News Among Members:
Eric Kegley and Amanda Murff’s mother, Carol Kegley, is having surgery on her neck this morning.
Dale Mayfield had successful surgery last week, and will recover at home for at least 2 weeks.
Linda Bockmiller continues to build her strength at home following surgery and get prepared for chemo treatments at M.D. Anderson soon. She has been so strong and faithful and we continue to pray for her.
Renate Turner has been at the James Bowie rehab center for several days but hopes to come home today.
Mary Griffin will continue to go to M.D. Anderson Monday through Friday until February 11th. She is being as positive and hopeful as she can, and that has an encouraging effect on us all!
Sharon Peach remains mostly confined to her home and could use any contact we can offer for her benefit.
Elma Chilson again was able to worship with us Sunday morning. Her son, Charles, has had a change in work schedule and has been getting Sundays off… great to see them both!
Also, Brenda Fannett has been very sick in recent days and we pray for her full recovery soon.
2 of our members have moved away: Todd Wright (to Dallas area) and April Potts (Spring area)
New Member: Shannon Minor
Special Service NOTE: Wednesday night Invitation assignments:
Feb. 3rd – Brian Broussard Feb. 10th – Ken Prideon Feb. 17th – Gospel Meeting
Group Meetings: (none posted yet for February)
Monday, Feb. 1st, 2010
February 1, 2010 by kemerson
Filed under Bible Thoughts
Bible Thoughts – “Happiness is…”
Recently I was having a conversation with a good friend and fellow brother in Christ, Mike Smith. I don’t remember the details of our conversation, but I remember his final words, “Happiness is a choice.” I like that very much. Our spirit, our attitude, the way we approach a day or even a lifetime is within ourselves to decide. Life is jam-packed full of highs and lows, blessings and disappointments. God made us with the power to choose how we will experience and affect those circumstances.
I am reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4: “But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned, but lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need” (10-12).
No servant of Christ in the kingdom has ever faced the disparity of rewards and trials that Paul faced. His circumstance could go from comforted among the church one day, to dodging stones hurled at him the next. And yet, it was his choice to rejoice in the Lord! Namely because he wasn’t just drifting along affected by circumstances, but because he was taking the Truth of Christ and the faith of holiness into every one of those settings and living for Jesus! What a great way to address the lows you face this week. They certainly represent tests, but not as measurements of how damaged you will be, but how valiantly you will choose to bring Christ into the situation!
Oh, one more thing about Paul’s words. Did you see that it was “the secret” that enabled him to choose happiness? What in the world is that secret? I sure want to know it. And here it is: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (13). Awesome. In a world of change and trial and uncertainty, Paul was able to be constantly rejoicing because he trusted in the ultimate constant: Christ. Jesus is always holy, always serving, always loving us… that is what He chose. And so we can face all things in Him if our faith is constant!
I want to leave you with a poem recently given to me by my good brother, Herb Lorfing. It was written by Rebecca Williams and since it served as the motivation for this article, I’d like to leave you with it:
One ship drives east, another drives west,
While the self-same breezes blow:
‘Tis the set of the sail, and not the gale
that bids them where to go.’
Like the winds of the seas are the ways of fate,
As we journey along through life;
‘Tis the set of the soul that decides the goal
and not the calm or the strife.’