A SAD LOSS FOR OUR CHURCH

We got word a couple of days ago that one of our 25-year old mothers in our church was found dead in her bed. She and her husband have a 4-year old daughter and an almost 2-year son.



Here's the story, with names changed. Our pastor's daughter Mary and her family lived in the same apt. building at one time with this family. Mary's daughter, Anna, was about three then. Anna liked to ring their own doorbell and go hide. It was a game she and her Mom played. Well, one day Anna came in crying, saying that the neighbor was going to kill her because she had rung that bell by mistake, Mary took Anna with her and went to meet the neighbor. It was Christy, who had a baby girl. They visited and became friends. Mary invited them to church. Christy came and shortly after got saved. Her husband Roger came and he got saved. They joined the church and were very faithful. Christy's parents joined the church also. Roger had been in the military and was working at a federal prison. He wanted to re-enlist in the military and he did so. It's been about two years I think. They were living in Kansas. Roger had just come home from Afghanistan for a week to see his family, Christy's family had just arrived there to see Roger, Christy, and their two grandchildren. Christy was found dead in her bed. Isn't it interesting to see that God used a little girl's "mistake" to bring that family to Him? We don't know yet what caused her death, but God chose to have almost her entire family there. I believe they got to see each other for a special time and for special reason. I am eager to find out what the pastor says after he gets back from doing the funeral and visiting with the family.

Today, we got word that an older guy passed away. He came to visit the church one day and got saved at that service. Not too long ago either. Praise the Lord that he found what he was seeking when he visited our church.

The Village Blacksmith by Longfellow

The Village Blacksmith
Under a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And bear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshingfloor.

He goes on Sunday to the church
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his haul, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--Rejoicing--sorrowing--
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.

Repost: Sensory Stimulation

Years ago when I worked at a nursing home as an activity director, I decided to use a picture to provoke a conversation for a group activity. It was the picture of the blacksmith shoeing a horse underneath a tree. One of the ladies had extreme memory loss (we didn't know about Alzheimer's disease then). She could answer questions sometimes but she couldn't remember what she did 10 minutes before. You know the story. Anyway, several of the residents commented on the memories the picture provoked. One lady told about how her father was a blacksmith but he didn't go out of business when cars became so popular. He just learned to work on them and did very well. Mrs. B., the lady with the memory loss, who hardly knew her name anymore, began to speak in her weak, not used very much voice, and recited the entire poem "The Village Blacksmith", word for word. Needless to say we all had tears streaming down our faces. After that recitation, she became quiet and re-entered her little world. It is one of the grandest memories I have.

A Firstly

My first attempt at placing a picture. I have one orange cat and used to have one that looked just like the brown tabby in the background. His name was Flatears but my grandkids called him Buddy. He had no ear tips (probably frozen when he was a baby), was very old, rather homely, but such a sweetie.

Get me my socks!

I hope I have this story straight. A woman in our church received a call from a friend, asking that her three-year old boy be put on our prayer chain. She apparently had found him twisted somehow in his swing set, not breathing and blue. That was all we knew until we were told that he was okay. K. D. then related the rest of the story to my sister. The mother did CPR and called 911. Later, at the hospital, He was in the bed with nothing on but a diaper. Apparently, he woke up, looked around, and said, "Get me my socks! I'm naked!". The family was told that he might be six years old before they could really detect any brain damage. What do you think? If a three-year old can assess a situation, and do what is reasonable to him (?), can't we assume he's okay? Can you imagine that family's response when their little boy said that.

Has Everyone Said These?

1. Someday when you're older, you'll understand.
2. Watch the tone of your voice when you talk to me.
3. Shut the door, were you born in a barn?
4. Stop your crying or I'll give you something to really cry about!
5. Do you think I'm made out of money?
6. Do you think money grows on trees?
7. If I've told once, I've told you a thousand times, don't exaggerate!
8. Are you deaf?
9. Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else was doing it?
10.Just wait until you're a parent someday!

If Wishes Were Horses, Beggers Would Ride

I wish I had invented Velcro.