Here are some questions for ya.  Be honest in how you would answer them.  

say a little prayer for me......

Guess everyone is finally settled in, either at home, on campus, online, wherever. Just know I have been thinking of ALL of you as you start a new year, new job, new school, old job, old school.
A couple of Sundays ago Mr. Mack challenged the church to prayer. At first I thought, yeah ok it is the new school year and that is what we do. He had asked that we all come to the church that next night and pray for the direction of our church, what burdens we had for our community. Now I must admit I wasn't able to come that night but me and Mr. Robert did pray for our community and church later when we were together. Then another thought struck me ----- why did Mr. Mack HAVE to challenge us? We should already be in prayer for all kinds of stuff and yet we had to be reminded??? That is not good!

People say that prayer is hard. NOT! Talking is not hard for any of us -- I do alot of it and so do you! Pray is a conversation with God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit.
Think about how you talk with your friends and family, it comes easily and non stop. So why do we make talking with the best friend ever, the ONE who created all things, died for you to have eternal life, SO HARD? Simple - we don't do it enough. Practice makes perfect.
Some say they don't know how to pray -- there are many ways to pray, many ways to remember to pray. For example, you can do the famous one breath prayer - help me Lord, Show me the way, Jesus, Now What, Lord? I have done that one so many times! lol. Some of you put your prayers on FB or Twitter so that others will know of your need and will pray with and for you.
Prayer does not have to be some drawn out soliquy between you and God - just talk.
Maybe you have to be "in the mood" to pray. Ok, I guess. So find a place that is your spot, your prayer bench, your private altar. Make it a quiet, solitary place where you can get on your knees or throw yourself on the ground to God's mercy if that is what is needed. The place is not the power but the fact that you go there is.
When in doubt, hit THE BOOK! the Bible that is. There are plenty of verses to help you with prayer or that are actually prayers. Psalms is always a good spot to start and it is easy to find.

I keep a prayer journal. Whenever I hear of a need or burden or if I have some of my own, I write in my journal. Whenever I have a praise, a thought, an insight, I write it down. Then I go back and pray for all those things I wrote down. Some are continuous, some have been answered. It is just a way to help me pray.

Start a prayer group. Meet once a week, once a month to just pray. It will hold you accountable as to whether you have prayed since your last meeting. It could change everything.

I am not a super Christian or teacher. I have tried to follow as Christ has led me. I guess I have done OK. But one thing I know, prayer changes things. But it has to become a part of you, a habit, if you will. The more you talk to someone the better you know them, the more you like them, the more you find yourself.
So take time to pray - for yourself, your family, your friends, your dreams and hopes, your community, your church. There is so much to pray for! But it will make all the difference in your world. Guess what? Even Jesus prayed.

"Don't turn a deaf ear when I call you, God. If all I get from you is a deafening silence I'd be better off in a black hole. I'm letting you know what I need, calling out for help and lifting my arms toward your inner sanctum." Psalm 28:1-2

August 2009

We had a great time at our pool party that turned into dinner at the Fellowship Hall because of rain. Thanks to Craig and Deborah Lennon for providing the food! It was delicious! Of course I took pictures and they are below.

Summer's over.
Some went to school, some worked, some went on vacation, some did nothing.
Now - we all have to get busy.

We really should have been busy all summer but we are human - lazy, selfish. Nowhere in the Bible
does it say that Jesus went on vacation. He did, however, go fishing.... with the disciples, probably with his father, Joseph but most importantly He went for the lost. He was among them, talking, eating, teaching - all year, all the time!

So - now a new school year, a new church year is about to start.
In 2 Peter 3:9 it says that Christ is waiting to return because He doesn't want anyone to perish and is giving more time for sinners to repent. Then in verse 15 it says to remember why He is waiting. 'He is giving us time to get his message of salvation out to others.'

He is giving EVERYONE a second chance. For us - the saved - to tell His marvelous story and to the sinner - to have the opportunity to hear.
A Second Chance! I like second chances!

February 2009

Super Bowl was a GOOD football game - no matter who you were for. At my house some of the guys from our class were here.. They were pulling for Arizona; I, being of the old school of football - Mr.. Robert and I actually know who Joe Namath is and had watched many of his games 'back in the day' - I was for the Steelers. So it was a GOOD game. We had alot of laughs watching the commercials and half time ROCKED with 'The Boss'. I hope wherever you were you had as much fun as we did.


Snow days - OK they were pretty but I am glad they are gone. Most of you know I am not a lover of snow. It is one of the main reasons I use to justify moving to NC from KY all those years ago. That and the beach. So Yes, I am ready for warmer weather.

Mr. Mack's sermon on February 2 really hit home with me. He talked about how we are inconsistent with our witness in places other than church. It was a very powerful message. Check it out on the media page of Galeed's website.

It got me thinking about my own witness and what I do from day to day. A friends and I started talking about how Paul keeps showing up in lessons over and over again for the last several months. She wondered if God was trying to tell her something and she was missing it. We both decided we might need to study Paul a little bit more.

In 1Thessolonians 2, Paul talks about being a witness and what is needed. Paul tells us 4 things we need to do in order to be effective witnesses. SPEAK with COURAGE - verses 1 -4, SPEAK out of LOVE - verses 5-8, SPEAK WITH your LIFE - verses 9-12, SPEAK for CHANGE - verses 13 -16.

God wants you to be HIS voice to those HE has placed around you.
Let your life SPEAK FOR CHRIST.

It is the new year, 2009. I did not make any resolutions or make goals. I will just have to see how the year goes.

I was reading an article in Collegiate magazine. You all should really get this - it is a great magazine with some good articles
and Bible studies. You can get a copy in the SS office at church.
Anyway, the title of the article was 'Cause Nice Don't Cost You A Thing'. I immediately thought of 2 things -

1. the movie Evan Almighty - where A.R.K. stood for Acts of Random Kindness. I like that movie. We should have movie
night somewhere and watch it.

2. the other thing was something that had happened to a family member over the Christmas holidays.
She had gone to her hometown for the holidays and brought to another person of the family a special snack food
that couldn't be found where he lived. She had just picked up the item because she knew he really loved it and hadn't had any
in awhile. The gift was given and then forgotten as the days went by. Later that week, he called her just to say thank you and how much
he enjoyed the treat. You say what is so odd about that? The male member very seldom spoke to the giving member, let alone call her
specifically to say thank you! It was her act of kindness and thoughtfulness that prompted him to do so.

I have to add this story of kindness. It happened after I thought I was finished with this blog.
Spencer was coming home from class one night and started feeling dizzy, weak.. he thought he was going to pass out. So he stopped at a gas
station, got out of his truck, thinking the fresh air would help. He found himself laying across his truck, something was wrong. He called for help.
Someone called EMS. Spencer had noticed that no one was stopping to help, he was now on the ground, weak and not breathing too good.
Suddenly this man came out of nowhere and asked if he needed help. Spencer said help was coming. The man stayed with Spencer, encouraging
him, letting him know Someone was there. The man, whose name is Bobby, said he lived on TarHeel Road and didn't come to Lumberton
on 211 very much but something told him to come that way on this night. When the EMS arrived, Bobby left. Spencer said he wished he
had gotten his number so he could call him and just say thank you. Spencer was transported to SRMC ER and found out his blood sugar
had been dangerously low and stayed there until it became within normal limits.
But Bobby did a random act of kindness late at night at a gas station to someone he didn't know. There are good people.

So having said that, here are some tips on being kind. You never know what you may get in return.

1. It is gracious to lend something to friends when they ask to borrow but go even further - lend it to them before
they ask because you recognize the need.

2. Compliment the people in your life. Let them know you care about them and their achievements, skills.

3. Take time for conversation - whether it is at lunch, walking to class, driving to work, slow down and enjoy the moment.
Even if it means a slightly slower pace for you.

4. Return what you have borrowed. We are all guilty of not returning things in a timely manner. Remember how you feel when
someone borrows from you.

5. Use your turn signal. This is a pet peeve of mine. I am convinced that people in Southeastern North Carolina
do not know there is such a thing on their vehicle!! If you use your turn signal, thank you. If I see you I will let you
in front of me. Please do the same for me.

6. Wave at someone. A friendly wave accomplishes two things: 1. says hello, 2. shows that you acknowledge
another person's presence.

So there you have it!

It says in 1 Samuel 24:19b "...may the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today."

Thanks to those who went to San Jose’s a couple of weeks ago. I had fun!
Check out the pics!
I hope we can all get together sometime in December. Suggestions for what to do or where to go are welcomed.
Don’t forget the Christmas Cantata/Play is December 13 -14. It is gonna be good! Yours truly is in the play.

This week is Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. It is the one holiday that most, if not all, my family comes together in Louisville. My family is just the best! We eat, of course but we also play games, Guitar Hero was big last year and probably this year too, of course basketball and we have had a mean game of badminton or volleyball! We have more fun drawing names for Christmas than any game! Games usually involve me and my sisters showing our kids how we could really embarrass them if we wanted to! The grandchildren and great grandchildren all get along and each child is always included in whatever game we might be playing. I love that – that we have always felt like everyone is to be included - no matter how young or old.
My mom, who will be 90 in 2009, has her place in the den where she quietly watches all of us. I often have wondered what she thinks about all of us – loud, laughing, playing, together.
She is the one who took us girls to church; she made sure we knew how to pray and look to the Bible for answers. She is the one who led me to Jesus.
She is the one who prayed hardest for my dad until he finally at age 72 decided to accept Christ.

Christmas is another story. So much to do, places to go, shopping, shopping, shopping! I don’t know what I want this year but it will come to me.

I don’t have any great words of seasonal wisdom. Just take time to remember what the holidays are really about. We have so much to be thankful for every day; things are taken for granted all the time. Take some time to be with your family, enjoy them. So HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

Luke 2:9b “I bring you the most joyful news ever announced and it is for everyone! The Savior, the Messiah, the Lord has been born tonight in
Bethlehem.”
Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all mankind.”

EXERCISE

Exercise ? I hate it! That is obvious. It’s not that I don’t like to exercise, I just don’t. Now, when we go on mission trips or retreats, I do pretty good keeping up.
But I have said repeatedly for years we need an elevator or escalator for the Fellowship Hall – those stairs just about kill me!
People say I should walk – I don’t think so.
If I started an exercise routine, any routine, I would probably enjoy it. It’s just the getting started part.

Spiritual exercise – it’s the same excuse. If we would just start, it would be so rewarding and enjoyable we would want to do it more often - continuously.

Maybe that should be a New Year’s resolution – spiritual exercise. More than likely by improving our spiritual lifestyle, our physical lifestyle might improve.

1Timothy 4:8 says, “Bodily exercise is alright, but spiritual exercise is much more
important and is a tonic for all you do. So exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too.”


A random thought – Last Sunday in the teacher’s lesson book was an illustration I shared with the class. I just want to re-tell that because it said a lot and it got me thinking about my relationship with Christ.
A sailor on a sailboat cannot make the boat move. The wind makes it move. That’s where the power comes from. However, the sailor must raise the sail. That is, he or she must position the boat to catch the wind. Much in the same way, it is our obligation to position ourselves to catch the power the Holy Spirit offers.

So where are you positioned? Are you where you can catch the wind? Do you want to raise your sail?


Don’t forget to come to ‘ELEVATE’, a contemporary worship at Galeed Sat. November 15@6:30pm. Following worship our class is heading for San Jose’s in Etown . Invite somebody and let’s be a CROWD!

What is a blog anyway? Everybody has one or the capability to have one but what is it?
The ones I read are fairly entertaining and creative and usually full of substance. I hope this ‘blog’ will help us along our journey together in understanding and wanting to know more about Christ, the Bible.

Do you remember when you accepted Christ as your Savior? Do you remember where you were, what you thought about the whole thing? I do. I was in the 4th grade. The church I attended as a child had worship Sunday mornings and evenings. I was a typical 4th grader whose mom was always at church – WMU, fellowships, GAs, you name it. Worship service was just what we did on Sunday nights. I remember that I had a disagreement with my GA leader, (not my mom) and it bothered me greatly. Sitting in church on Sunday morning I must have paid more attention than usual but it was that Sunday night that the Holy Spirit became known to me. Afterwards at home, I was confused. I must have been acting differently because my mom finally came to me and asked. As I talked to my mother I realized that I needed Jesus to be my Savior. My mom showed me the way. What a feeling! Of relief, joy, hope, peace. All this at 9 years old.
One of the first people to come to me and welcome me into the family of God was my GA leader. Yes I cried. Maybe that started then too.

All of us have a testimony of how we came to know Jesus. All of us have a testimony of what Jesus has done for us through our lives. As we mature as Christians we see His Presence more and more active in our lives. We should always remember those first moments of our salvation – when God’s grace entered your heart and by faith, extreme faith, you believed.
In Acts 26:13-16 Paul tells of his conversion. We are to do that too – tell. Tell everyone. Not just how He came into your life but what He has done for you.
It starts with your conversion and continues on with your learning about Christ and growing in your relationship with Him - one that never stops.

Do your friends, closest friends, know that you are saved? Do they know your story?

Tell – start now.


September Bible Lessons October Bible Lessons
The Parables Foundation
Matthew 18:21-27 Romans 1:16-3:20
Matthew 22:1-14 Romans 3:21-5:21
Matthew 25:1-13 Romans 7:7-25
Matthew 25:14-30 Romans 8:1-30