Surprises can be good or bad. Some people love to be surprised, others don't! Tuesday night as I was pulling onto Marathon Drive, Murfreesburo, Tennessee, my cell phone rang. I had made the trip to babysit my granddaughters. It should have been an enjoyable trip. But the surprise I was about to hear made me sick to my stomach. The news was a surprise that completely devastated me. The caller was Robin Lewis. Her surprising news was about the sudden massive heart attack and subsequent death of my very good friend in Christ, Kathy Wilson. Just Sunday, I teased her about missing Sunday School. She has been attending the middle service not getting to our class. We made coffe together. She helped me with calling on friends. She picked up people for events at church. She was beautiful, through and through. Kathy was selfless. She worked at every event NPUMC held. She served as an "Ask Me" person. She was so very sweet and kind to everyone. I will miss her so much and so will our church. It is a loss that will take a long time to accept. God must have needed another bright star in the sky for Kathy was truly a beacon for Christ and an example of His love. She was an angel here in our world. I am sure she is with Him now. I was completely surprised and flabbergasted by the news of losing Kathy, but I know God is smiling with her in heaven. May God also support and comfort Kathy's family as they grieve her passing. May the peace of Christ be with all of you.
In His Service,
Roger
Friday, January 31, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
A New Symbol of Freedom for NPUMC
Now I know it isn't Veterans' Day, Independence Day or any other holiday that brings into our minds the great sacrifice and service many people have given in service to our country. But this morning after prayer breakfast, I was given a new symbol of our country, a U.S. flag. The one that flies over NPUMC all the time had tattered in the weather. Our friend and great patriot, Bill McCoy to the rescue! Bill brought us a new flag and I proudly hung it in its appropriate place in front of church. It is beautiful! It also reminded me of how often I take for granted the privileges I have just because I happen to have been born an American. Thanks be to God that we can fly this great symbol of our country. Thanks be to God that we are still free. Let's all take a moment each time we see an American Flag and realize how many lives paid for our freedom and the privilege we have of flying this symbol. Take a moment and thank our servicemen. Take a moment and thank our veterans. Take a moment and thank our God!
Monday, January 6, 2014
We are all inter-connected!
An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself they said: ''UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?''
'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am because we are"
'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am because we are"
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Well, what do I get today?
Here we are on the 35th anniversary of the blizzard of 1978! Deep, blowing snow, freezing conditions and power outages. What a horrible combination! Now, we all had choices...God gives those...and they're free for us. When these terrible weather conditions hit, we could complain, get mad, stay in bad moods. We could be upset with the power company since they can't get out to repair lines. We could even blame God for allowing such horrid things to happen to us.
Well...here's what happened at 3577 (my house.) The snow came hard and fast. The wind blew miserably. Our driveway had drifted shut. No, not just drifted...it was over six feet deep! No exaggeration! My next door neighbor, Jim Marqua's drive was only about four feet deep was closed for about forty feet. "Whaler," (Larry Sullivan) across the road, his driveway was about like mine. Well, the three of us started digging. First, we did my drive, then Larry's and then Jim's. About six hours later Larry and I rode his snowmobile down the road a mile to Dewitt's dairy farm. You see, my daughter Lori was nearly six months old and we really needed milk. Dewitt's couldn't get their milk truck in or out so they were "dumping" milk. They were glad we could use a little. Then back home since Anita couldn't cook...OH MY GOSH...I fired up the grill. We had plenty of food in the pantry so we were good. Then Anita, Craig, Lori and I all snuggled under blankets in the living room and by the light of a kerosene lamp, I read the Christmas story to them all over again. We had a fun afternoon. When it was time for bed we again snuggled together in the living room floor in front of a blazing fire in the fireplace, said our prayers and went to sleep. Sometime later the power came on...surprise! Since all the lights and the TV were on we all woke up with a laugh. What a day! WE all chose to help one another. WE all chose to make it fun. WE all chose to make the best of it! God is good!
Now, we jump forward 35 years to the day! We have more than ten inches of snow, blowing wind and temperatures subzero. Some people are out of power. Some people are "snowed in." Some are complaining. But we all know God is good. We all know He let's weather be weather. He let's us make choices. We can choose to be angry or make the best of it! Isn't that true about every day? We wake up each day to new weather. We wake up each day to new challenges. We wake up each day with a choice to live life to the fullest and trust in God to be with us all the way or let the negatives of the world drag us down.
I choose to live in the love and assurance that believing in Christ allows. I hope you do too!
In His Service,
Roger
Well...here's what happened at 3577 (my house.) The snow came hard and fast. The wind blew miserably. Our driveway had drifted shut. No, not just drifted...it was over six feet deep! No exaggeration! My next door neighbor, Jim Marqua's drive was only about four feet deep was closed for about forty feet. "Whaler," (Larry Sullivan) across the road, his driveway was about like mine. Well, the three of us started digging. First, we did my drive, then Larry's and then Jim's. About six hours later Larry and I rode his snowmobile down the road a mile to Dewitt's dairy farm. You see, my daughter Lori was nearly six months old and we really needed milk. Dewitt's couldn't get their milk truck in or out so they were "dumping" milk. They were glad we could use a little. Then back home since Anita couldn't cook...OH MY GOSH...I fired up the grill. We had plenty of food in the pantry so we were good. Then Anita, Craig, Lori and I all snuggled under blankets in the living room and by the light of a kerosene lamp, I read the Christmas story to them all over again. We had a fun afternoon. When it was time for bed we again snuggled together in the living room floor in front of a blazing fire in the fireplace, said our prayers and went to sleep. Sometime later the power came on...surprise! Since all the lights and the TV were on we all woke up with a laugh. What a day! WE all chose to help one another. WE all chose to make it fun. WE all chose to make the best of it! God is good!
Now, we jump forward 35 years to the day! We have more than ten inches of snow, blowing wind and temperatures subzero. Some people are out of power. Some people are "snowed in." Some are complaining. But we all know God is good. We all know He let's weather be weather. He let's us make choices. We can choose to be angry or make the best of it! Isn't that true about every day? We wake up each day to new weather. We wake up each day to new challenges. We wake up each day with a choice to live life to the fullest and trust in God to be with us all the way or let the negatives of the world drag us down.
I choose to live in the love and assurance that believing in Christ allows. I hope you do too!
In His Service,
Roger
Friday, January 3, 2014
WEATHER!!!
Wow...10 more inches of snow...16 or more below zero...icy roads...
It is winter and it has hit with a vengeance! Now, I would normally remind you all how important it is to be with like believers in church. However, if our weather persons are accurate this time, STAY INSIDE. Pray as always...Don't forget to get your tithe ready to turn in later...but stay safe, stay smart and stay home. I love to visit our members when they are healthy but it saddens me when I visit our family in nursing facilities and rehab centers. We need no broken bones! God knows who loves Him.
We want you all to grow closer to our Master...but God gave us intelligence and the freedom to make wise choices. When the weather is better...be sure not to miss.
May God richly bless you and yours now and evermore!
Roger
A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.' We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.
It is winter and it has hit with a vengeance! Now, I would normally remind you all how important it is to be with like believers in church. However, if our weather persons are accurate this time, STAY INSIDE. Pray as always...Don't forget to get your tithe ready to turn in later...but stay safe, stay smart and stay home. I love to visit our members when they are healthy but it saddens me when I visit our family in nursing facilities and rehab centers. We need no broken bones! God knows who loves Him.
We want you all to grow closer to our Master...but God gave us intelligence and the freedom to make wise choices. When the weather is better...be sure not to miss.
May God richly bless you and yours now and evermore!
Roger
A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.' We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Mitten tree
In 2013, our church really opened their collective hearts to those less fortunate. In addition to feeding the poor and taking many supplies to the Brightwood Community Center, we supplied many, many pairs of gloves. Many thanks to all who contributed to this wonderful cause.
Pictured are a two friends adding to our already overloaded "Mitten Tree."
Pictured are a two friends adding to our already overloaded "Mitten Tree."
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