FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
Volume 10 14 DECEMBER 2008 Issue No. 42
Service Arrangements
COMMUNION FOR DECEMBER 2008
SOUTH SIDE NORTH SIDE
AM
Wayne Pickrel
Weldon Miller
George O’NealJody Sparks
Cody SparksCharles Kyle
PM
Ron TraughberTim Jones
ANNOUNCEMENTS ………………… Bob Hedges
(Sunday and Wednesday)
SONG LEADER (AM)…….… Royce Armstrong
(PM) ……... Royce Armstrong
Wednesday Nite ….…. Grady Duncan
PRAYERS —– Sunday.
AM First Prayer ……….. Glenn Parham
Closing………….......… Jim Duncan
PM First Prayer…….… Rance Robison
Closing…...…… Rhodney Freeman
PRAYERS — Wednesday Nite
First Prayer…………..…. Wayne Pickrel
Closing……………...… Frankie Sargent
PRAYER LIST:
Betty Abbey, Justin Barker, Rachel Barker, Louis & Nona Bell, Doris Bell, Billye Campbell, Suzanne Charlton, Steele Cooper, Irene Duncan, Ben McCain, Wade Miller, Elna O’Neal, Thelma Reed, Bud Roach
ALSO: Beth Adams, Roy Coats, Wesley DuBose, Lacy Farmer, Donald Johnson,
Wayne Lineberger, Jesse & Jacob Massey, Yvonne Waldrup, Charlie Whitney,
Linda Wysinger
And now for … FAMILY NEWS AND NOTES
This morning’s lesson will be brought to us by Bob Hedges and tonite by Weldon Miller. On Wednesday evening the lesson will be brought by Royce Armstrong.
Fellowship Luncheon scheduled for Friday evening 19 December 2008. The event will held at the Walnut Room at Mount Pleasant Civic Center beginning at 7:00 PM. Bring your favorite dish or “finger food” and a tree ornament (new OR used).
Our Bible Bowl participants came in 2nd Place last Monday evening, missing only 2 questions on Judges. Congratulations!
Thanks to Grady Duncan, who presented a marvelous lesson Wednesday evening on the “Preciousness of our Birthright.”
Everyone is encouraged to bring a baby photo of themselves by Wednesday evening and give them to Cindy Armstrong or Cindy Robison. This is going to be fun!
Wednesday evening it was announced that Lacy Farmer Maxwell was in ICU at East Texas Medical Center and in grave condition. The doctors did a scan Thursday evening and found she had had several small strokes. She has a systemic infection. Her brothers have been notified of her condition and are coming to be with her. She has been pretty much unresponsive to treatments at this time and her weight has dropped to about 76 pounds. Please keep Lacy and her mom, Pam, in your prayers. There was no further updates on her condition at the printing of this bulletin.
Charlie Whitney (Sue’s husband) came thru his surgery OK but had a bad night Thursday night. The blood flow to his leg was not right and further surgery was planned for Friday. He is in ETMC. Add Charlie and Sue to your prayer list.
Donald Johnson had surgery last week and has the lower lobe of his lung removed. He needs our prayers.
Beth Adams (granddaughter of Mary Hall) has breast cancer and will have to have surgery. Her husband is being allowed to return from Afghanistan to be with her. Please remember Beth and the family in your prayers.
Elna O’Neal had a stent replacement last week because of a blockage,
Wade Miller had a laser procedure on his eyes last week and his sight has improved. He goes back in 4 weeks.
Betty Abbey continues to improve following her recent knee surgery.
Bud Roach will have surgery to help with carotid arteries.
THANK YOU …. “I wish to thank you all so very much for all the birthday cards you sent. They meant so much to me.
—- in Christian Love
Mary Glover”
Overcoming Anxiety
(Parting thoughts by David McCain)
We know the Lord has promised to care for us, and that we shouldn’t worry about life, but sometimes we find “anxiety” a very difficult trait to overcome. Because we are a thinking breed, it is quite natural for us to try to think our way out of our problems. Where we get off track is when we let those thought processes get out of control to where we become like Martha, who Jesus said was, “anxious and troubled about many things” (Luke 10:41).
In summarizing the teaching of Jesus on the subject of anxiety or worry, the Apostle Paul wrote, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7). Admittedly, that is one of the hardest admonitions in all of the Bible for a human being to follow, for it almost seems like we were born to worry.
However, God’s Word shares two secrets to help us control anxiety in our lives, so that we don’t end up “stressed out,” or emotionally “burned out” by a “nervous breakdown.” Controlled thinking and fervent prayer are God’s therapies for overcoming anxiety, and avoiding the uneasiness and distress that comes from worry.
First, the Lord admonishes us to think our way out of worry. He instructed us to think about how God cares for the birds and the flowers which have no souls (Mt. 6:25-34, Lk. 12:22-25). The point is, if God devotes Himself to caring for the plant and animal kingdoms, He will surely take care of man, who is made in His very image. Jesus pointed out that worry is often the painful overburdening of thought, about things over which we have little or no control. Can you add to the measure of your stature or the length of your life by worrying about it, Jesus asked? Absolutely not! In fact, worry will probably shorten your life and leave you humped over, and thus shorter, from carrying an unnecessary burden of anxiety.
Secondly, we are admonished by Paul to control our anxiety by the practice of fervent, thankful prayer. When we take time to humbly hit our knees and thankfully recount our blessings in the ear of God, we are reminded of God’s bountiful provision and His loving care. As that great old song says, “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost; count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” As fervent thankful prayer reminds us of God’s providential care, and helps us to focus on what’s really important, all of a sudden our worries seem so unfounded and unnecessary.
Worry is unnecessary and futile for Christians because God has promised to care for His children. We can be assured of His wisdom to care for us, for He is the only wise God (Rms. 16:27). We can be assured of His ability to care for us, for He is, “...able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think...” (Eph. 3:20). We can be assured of His desire to care for our needs, because He, “...shall supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). So, brethren, we should cease from anxiety by following Solomon’s admonition to, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).
Who? - Me? - Worry?
© By Grady L. Duncan
8/1/01
Like a thief in the night,
Worry, will steal your joys away.
When you worry about tomorrow,
your joy is lost for today.
Sure, tomorrow may have its troubles,
but leave well enough alone.
Take care of Life, today.
It has problems of its own.
Do the best with what you have.
Then, get on your knees and pray.
Leave tomorrow in God’s hands.
It’s much better that way.
You don’t know what will happen.
You might change it if that were so,
but, since you can’t see tomorrow,
leave it to God who’s in the know.
Worry can get you down,
and change your attitude,
but if you trust the Lord,
your Faith will be renewed.
Life is lived by each moment,
becoming our numbered years.
If we share them with God.
He will banish all of our fears.
