The Visitor » 2010 » May

Here and There by Wes Price will resume when Wes recovers from surgery. We pray he will be back with us soon. =========================================
It’s Nice to Be Remembered
Roger Owen

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It used to be called Decorations Day. It is a day for remembering those who gave their lives for the freedoms of this country. The first Memorial Day was observed to remember those in the Civil War who sacrificed their lives to keep this country united. According to World Book (no, I am not into “Google” all that much, yet!) several communities claim to have started Memorial Day, but the Federal government officially gave the credit to Waterloo, N.Y. who first observed the day on May 5, 1866 to honor union soldiers who had died in the civil war by closing businesses, decorating soldiers graves and flying flags at half mast. Our government designated Memorial Day as an official federal holiday by law in 1971.

Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, and Tennessee observe Confederal Memorial Day in April, May or June mostly on a day other than the traditional Memorial Day. Texas observes Confederal Heroes Day on January 19.

Over the years, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and now Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have been added to the rememberance observance. It is important that we never forget what it costs to be free of the tyranny of other countries-free to worship God and assemble in Jesus’ name, free to choose our own government, free to live peaceably without government oppression.

It is not pleasant to feel “forgotten”. Have you ever felt forgotten or left out? God does not want to be forgotten, either. When He rescued Israel from Egyptian Bondage He instructed Joshua to pick a man from each of the twelve tribes and have them pick up a stone from the bottom of the Jordan River as they passed into Canaan on dry land behind the ark of the Covenant. “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you? then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever’.” (Joshua 4:6-7).

Jesus did not want to be forgotten, either. On the eve of His arrest, He initiated a feast to be observed on a weeky basis in His kingdom. Luke tells us of His instructions, “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19).

As we become more and more comfortable in our freedoms both physically and spiritually, it is easy to take them for granted and fail to remember how we got them. Today, Memorial Day means a whole lot more to those families-young as they may be-who have lost a loved one in Iraq or Afghanistan. Everyone in this country knows someone who has fought or is fighting for our country to free us of terrorist attacks, and many have died or been wounded in that fight.

But the bottom line to all of this is that we don’t “win” unless God helps us to win! So, tomorrow, remember how good we have it and how we got here. Remember the sacrifices many men and women have made to achieve what we have today, and especially remember to thank God and ask Him to continue to bless us with freedom so we can continue to teach others about Him. “So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God.” (Numbers 15:40).
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Sylvia and Muriel McMillion would like to send a “Big Thank You” for all the prayers and love for them during Sylvia’s radiation treatments. Also, thank you for the prayers for their cousin, Carol Diamond and her husband Pete who has brain cancer. Please continue your prayers for all of them. This thank you is being sent with much love.
Sylvia and Muriel McMillion
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PRAYER LIST
Wes Price–Charlton Methodist– A Tower, Room A 3117. May have short visits. Is slowly improving. Remember to limit your visits to 10 minutes. He tires very easily.
Ann Taylor is recovering at home from her fall last week.
Jimmy Mooney will have day surgery for skin cancer at Charlton Methodist at 7:15 a.m. on June 10.

Let us all pray that Roger and Linda Owen and their family have a safe, enjoyable trip, and a safe return . See you when you get back.

REMEMBER ALL OTHERS ON THE PRAYER LIST
Adrain Arthur (great nephew of Theresa Bersano); George Bailey; R. C. Bell; Addie Bennett; Dr. “J” Coats; Urbanelle Cox; Pete Diamond (cousin of Sylvia & Muriel McMillion); Evelyn Dillon; Tom Duvall; Ruby Faas; Gloria Garcia; Magdalena Gonzalez; Rita Harrison; Doris Henry; Bill Hinton; Ed Horn; Mary Catherine Jayroe; Jean LaPine; Nancy Lindley; Mark Locke; Sylvia & Muriel McMillion; Dorothy Mooney; Billie Morgan; Bobby Muirhead (sister of Billie & Jean Thompson); Lula Murray; Henrietta Pummill; Rick Ramsey; Sherry Reynolds; Lois Rodriquez; Mary Russell; Mildred Sala, Nancy Spurgeon; Treva Traylor; Marie Works.

Vital Signs: Bible Study-57 Morning Worship-78 Afternoon Worship-30 Wed. Evening- 5/19 – 30

Offering: $2,875.50 Budget: $2,893.27

Bobbie Vivrett has moved to a Care center in North Richland Hills. She reports she likes her new apartment and loves the food. As soon as we have her address and phone number we will post it on the bulletin board and put it in the bulletin.
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We want to offer our much love and sympathy to Jimmy and Belinda Watson and family. Jimmy’s brother, Carl, passed away on Monday, May 24, 2010. His funeral was at Ferris, TX on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Carl Watson was a resident of Red Oak, TX —————-
Address to send sympathy cards for Buck (O.W.) Reed :
Bobby & Beverly Reed
2021 McAlpin Road Midlothian, TX 76065

“Reflections”

by Jack Armstrong
We’ve been blessed to have Roger Owen and his lovely wife, Linda, with us while Wes and Alma Faye are out at this time. Roger has done a fantastic job in class, and his sermons are so down to earth and heartwarming. In lots of ways he reminds me of Bro. Wes because it’s easy to see he is a peoples preacher, and by that I mean he gets along great with folks and lives what he preaches.

Bro. Wes seems to get a little stronger every day, but still has a way to go, and as Alma Faye often reminds us, let’s all be “cautiously optimistic” and pray each day he will be back with us before too long! While we are praying, remember to include Alma Faye in our prayers, because this has been a long, tiresome ordeal for her as well, and she is at his side constantly.

Oleta and I were out eating this week and we ran into a couple from another congregation that had heard that some of Wes’ medication had caused a relapse, but this is not RIGHT. The doctors are trying to find the right medication for his problems and sometimes it does cause a problem, but is quickly corrected. We all have to be careful to not let rumors spread.

We have never seen such care and interest in one person as is being shown in Bro. Wes. All the churches and the preachers from those congregations are keeping folks well informed about Wes’ progress, which I think is as it should be.

We all want to thank Roger for his column in our Visitor each week. The one on May 16 was on a subject that we’ve all been too well acquainted with, hearing folks say…”I Don’t Get Anything Out of It.” It’s like John Kennedy once said…”Think not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”! Only in this case add the word “Church”.

The lessons he preached on “Peace” for many weeks have been some of the best I’ve ever heard.

It is our fervent prayer all of our sick and shut-ins are doing much better. We love you and miss you!
By the way Bro. George Bailey is doing better. He and his wife are in their apartment in Green Bay Village at the Christian Care Center in Mesquite. His phone number is: 972-686-3100 and as he says…
REMEMBER OUR GOAL… “When Duty Become Desire”
Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)

Here and There by Wes Price will resume when Wes recovers from surgery. We pray he will be back with us soon. =========================================
IF ANYTHING CAN GO WRONG, IT WILL
Roger Owen

One of the most often quoted statements in our culture today is the one called, “Murphy’s Law”. I don’t think a single day goes by that I don’t hear myself or someone else either refer to Murphy’s Law or quote some variation of it. We seem to be a people who generally EXPECT things to go wrong or badly instead of good. I know I usually express shock when “accidents” happen that are GOOD for me! I am rarely shocked when bad things happen.

We become superstitious and refuse to comment on risks involved for fear of invoking Murphy’s Law. How this all began is quite an interesting story. There actually were numerous people who made this statement either publicly or in print before it officially became known as Murphy’s Law.

In 1877 an engineer named Alfred Holt wrote, “anything that can go wrong at sea generally does sooner or later.” In 1908 an English magician named Nevil Maskelyne wrote, “in the production of a magical effect for the first time, everything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Mountaineer Jack Sack spoke in 1952 about an “ancient mountaineering adage” that said: “anything that can possibly go wrong, does.”

Also in 1952, Ann Roe wrote an article and quoted an unnamed physicist for introducing her to an adage that he called “Murphy’s Law” or “the fourth law of Thermodynamics”: “if anything can go wrong, it will.” It appears that that physicist had mentioned the law to her in an interview conducted in 1949. He had evidently heard of an incident that happened earlier in 1949 when a developmental engineer at the Wright Field Aircraft Lab named, Capt. Ed Muprhy found out that a wiring technician had wired a component wrong, causing it to fail to work. He said of the technician, “if there is any way to do it wrong, he will.”

Robert Oglesby had a space left over in the Waterview church bulletin one time and needed a sentence to fill it, so he wrote, “Vote to repeal Murphy’s Law.” Others have mused about what happens when Murphy’s Law has its effect on Murphy’s Law? What happens when what can go wrong with Murphy’s Law does? I haven’t the foggiest idea and fear I would end up with a big headache if I even tried to imagine that!
So, what of this penchant we have for expecting the worst and not the best? I don’t like disappointment. My defense against disappointment is to never expect anything good to happen – then I am never disappointed. Good things DO happen – I’d just rather be surprised when they do. A lot is said about being positive instead of negative in our thinking, but evidently I am not spending must time listening.

How ridiculous of me to think that I can control the events of my life by how I think! I might CAUSE the events of my life to go one way or another by my attitude about them, but in no way does that mean I am in any way in control of my life. That may be why I believe in Murphy’s Law – because I know I have no control over stopping things from going wrong.

Thankfully I DO have a Father who IS in control of my life! He knows how to put Murphy’s Law in its place. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17 ESV). “Ask, and it will be given unto you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you…If you, then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7, 11).

So, the next time I decide to take matters into my own hands, especially knowing that I am immediately invoking Muryphy’s Law as I do, I should remember, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ –yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15).
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The following is a letter from Joshua Martinez which reads: I’m sending this invitation for my graduation. I know it is far for some of you but I want to let everyone know of the exciting events in my life right now. And because you all always ask my grandparents for Val and me. I want to thank you. Val and I go to church in Princeton with my uncle and cousins. When I graduate I’m going to start at Westward College to study to be a medical assistant and continue to work like I do now at Taco Bueno in McKinney. Val leaves this summer to visit our mom and brother in Tennessee for a couple of weeks.
Thank you everyone for always asking for us. We love you and miss you, and will visit soon.
My grandma and grandpa wish to thank everyone who sent them anniversary cards. They loved them all. Thank you all so much. Joshua Martinez (grandson of Domingo & Becky Martinez)
(The graduation announcement and letter will be put on the bulletin board in the Community Room) Our hearts go out to a wonderful young man who wrote a wonderful letter! His grandparents are to be commended. ==================================================
PRAYER LIST
Wes Price–Charlton Methodist– A Tower – Room 3317. May have short visits. Is slowly improving. Remember to limit your visits to 10 minutes. He tires very easily.
Magdalena Gonzalez is a little better. Magdalena and her daughter Delia, who is taking care of her mother, need our prayers.
George Bailey is out of the hospital and his heart is doing well but he does have other problems and still needs our prayers.
Jimmy Mooney will have day surgery for skin cancer at Charlton Methodist at 7:15 a.m. on June 10.

REMEMBER ALL OTHERS ON THE PRAYER LIST
Adrain Arthur (great nephew of Theresa Bersano); R. C. Bell; Addie Bennett; Dr. “J” Coats; Urbanelle Cox; Pete Diamond, cousin of Sylvia & Muriel McMillion; Evelyn Dillon; Tom Duvall; Ruby Faas; Gloria Garcia; Magdalena Gonzalez; Rita Harrison; Doris Henry; Bill Hinton; Ed Horn; Mary Catherine Jayroe; Jean LaPine; Nancy Lindley; Mark Locke; Sylvia & Muriel McMillion; Dorothy Mooney; Jimmy Mooney; Billie Morgan; Bobby Muirhead (sister of Billie & Jean Thompson); Lula Murray; Henrietta Pummill; Rick Ramsey; Sherry Reynolds; Lois Rodriquez; Mary Russell; Mildred Sala, Nancy Spurgeon; Treva Traylor; Marie Works.

Rita Harrison has a new land phone # 214-330-3144. She still does have her cell phone. —————-
Vital Signs: May 16, 2010 Bible Study 56 Morning Worship 75
Afternoon Worship 34 Wed Evening Bible Study, 5/12 36
Offering: $3,013.50 Budget: $2,893.27

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We offer our love and sympathy to the family of O. W. (Buck) Reed. Buck passed away May 12, 2010 and had a graveside service at Laurel Land Cemetery with military honors. He was a loving and caring Christian that will be missed.

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“Reflections” by Jack Armstrong
We all want to thank Bro. Roger Owen for the fine job he is doing filling in for Bro. Wes.

Oleta and I added a new great grandson to our bunch this week. Born to Craig and Brittney Newland at 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 19” long checked in as Master Colman Eugene Newland and boy are we proud!! Mother, father and son are doing fine. Grandparents are our daughter Gloria and Bill Zimmerman. I think this runs us up to around 20 now and about 4 great, greats!

We lost another couple of dear friends this past week or so. Sister Martha Kirk and Brother Buck Reed left us to go and be with the Lord.

Bro. Jacob Locke once again stepped in and this time he held the graveside service for Martha Kirk, and though Oleta and I were not able to be there, I’m sure Jacob did a great job in bidding her farewell for us all. Thanks from all of us Jacob!

Oleta and I just got back from seeing our best friend and our fine preacher Bro. Wes Price. He is getting a little better but tires very easily.

We want to thank Rick Ramsey for continuing to be attentive to Wes and administering his physical therapy all this time. We all love him dearly and I’m sure Alma Faye is so grateful to him, because he always seems to be there when she needs him. Well folks that’s about all for this time. We’ll see you later, the Good Lord Willing!
We pray all of you sick and shut-ins are doing much better. We love you and miss you!
See you soon “Here and There”. Get well soon because we love you and miss you.
REMEMBER OUR GOAL… “When Duty Become Desire”
Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)

Here and There by Wes Price will resume when Wes recovers from surgery. We pray he will be back with us soon. ========================================= I DON’T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT
Roger Owen

When I think of church attendance, so many things come to mind. Why do people come? Several reasons have been given. “I won’t go to heaven if I don’t.” “I feel guilty if I am not there.” “I don’t want to get a phone call or a visit from someone asking why I wasn’t there.” “I want to partake of the Lord’s Supper with the Lord.” “I love the lift I get from the singing.” (I don’t think I can ever remember hearing anyone say, “I just can’t wait to hear another sermon!”).

On the other hand, why do people NOT come? “I was too tired.” “I had company show up at the last minute.” “I had to work.” “I had tickets to the game.” “Once a week is enough.” “I needed the sleep.” “That’s the only time I can go camping, or golfing, or fishing.” And then one I have heard too often in my life is, “I just don’t get anything out of it!” I have never had anyone say to me, “I just don’t want to be there!” But that is really what is being said when one does not show up because he doesn’t get anything out of it.

I have also never heard anyone say to me, “I am here because they need me here.” So much of our thinking is along the lines of, “What do I get out of it?” If it is not beneficial to me, why should I waste my time? In reality, scripture teaches us that one of the major reasons God commanded us to assemble was because we NEED each other’s company and encouragement.

When the writer of Hebrews told them to “not neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some” (ESV), he prefaced that instruction with, “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” And he followed up that instruction with, “but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24,25). In chapter 3 verses 12 and 13, he said it thusly, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

Am I not at my best “behavior” when I am in the midst of my brethren? Am I not at my worst “behavior” when I am the only one in a group that is trying to be faithful to God? Is temptation not lessened when I am with my brethren? Is it not easier to do right when we are together? My attendance record might slack off because I think I can resist sin without being with the brethren all the time. But it is hard for me to justify not being here when my brethren NEED the encouragement I can give them!

An elder in the church one time told me that a lot of Sundays he doesn’t personally receive much from the assembly together because he is so busy making sure others who need encourage- ment get encouraged. Isn’t that what “family” is all about? One family member makes a sacrifice because the other family member needs them. What if a mother said, “I am not feeding my kids tonight because I don’t get anything out of it, and besides I am not hungry.”? Wouldn’t it be great if all of us could arrive with the motivation to share together the supper of the Lord, and to concentrate on encouraging everyone else to stay true to Him, no matter the sacrifice?

Paul emphasized this in Philippians 2: “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind…in humility count other mre significant than yourselves… Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others…” None of this could be accomplished if they did not spend A LOT of time together!

Ask yourself one question as you debate whether to show up or not: “How many of my brethren will suffer and miss out on my encouragement because I was too selfish to bother to be there for them?” ===================================================

SYMPATHY
We want to offer our much love and sincere sympathy to the family and most especially to Betty Thornton, aunt of Martha Kirk. Martha passed away, Wednesday, May 12, 2010 after a short illness. The graveside service, officiated by Jacob Locke, was Friday, May 14, 2010 at Laurel Land Cemetery. Visitation was Friday morning at West-Hurtt Funeral Home in DeSoto. Martha was a wonderful Christian that was loved and will be missed by all. She and Betty Thornton were very close, and were there for each other through thick and thin. Martha, we will see you again in the sweet by and by.

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PRAYER LIST
Wes Price–Charlton Methodist– A Tower – Room 3317. May have short visits. Is slowly improving.
Willie Wright is home after having surgery on his vocal chords. The surgery went well.
Sylvia McMillion and Rick Ramsey are both taking radiation treat- ments at this time.
Fran Womelsdorff’s MRI was clear. She will have therapy for an inner ear problem.
Mildred Sala is home after having a blockage in her leg cleared out.
Morris Miller, brother-in-law of Fran Womelsdorff has been moved to Arbor House in DeSoto.

REMEMBER ALL OTHERS ON THE PRAYER LIST
George Bailey; R. C. Bell, Addie Bennett; Dr. “J” Coats; Urbanelle Cox; Pete Diamond, cousin of Sylvia & Muriel McMillion; Evelyn Dillon; Tom Duvall; Ruby Faas;Gloria Garcia; Magdalena Gonzalez; Rita Harrison; Doris Henry; Bill Hinton; Ed Horn; Mary Catherine Jayroe; Jean LaPine; Nancy Lindley; Mark Locke; Sylvia & Muriel McMillion; Morris & Ann Miller, sister & brother-in-law of Fran Womelsdorff; Dorothy Mooney; Jimmy Mooney; Billie Morgan; Bobby Muirhead (sister of Billie & Jean Thompson); Lula Murray; Henrietta Pummill; Sherry Reynolds; Lois Rodriquez; Mary Russell; Nancy Spurgeon; Treva Traylor; Marie Works.
Vital Signs: May 9, 2010
Bible Study: 49 Offering: $2,258.50
Morning Worship 75 Budget: $2,893.27
Afternoon Worship 32 Wed. Eve. Bible Study – 5/5 – 33 —————-
Thank You, Ann Schoolfield, for All You Do for this Congregation!! Ladies & Men’s Bible Classes are off for the summer and will commence this fall. —————-
We sold all of the copies of the DVD “The Silencing of God”. If you wish to have one or several, give your name to Ann Schoolfield. They are $2.00 each.
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“Reflections” by Jack Armstrong
Bro. Roger brought out a fine point in his last Visitor column, “Keeping Things in Perspective”! He ended the column by saying.. When I look at things in their proper perspective, I realize when I have Jesus as King of the Kingdom, to help me, and you as part of the Kingdom to help me and I have eternal life to look forward to. What Else Could I Need??? This same thing applies to Bro. Wes in his present dilema. We know that the Good Lord is for him, and I firmly believe that even as hard as it has been on Wes and Alma Faye, he will come back to us and finish the wonderful job he started!
In reading another fine column in the Visitor, there was a meaningful prayer at the end… “Holy God, forgive us and our nation of ignoring and forgetting you. Grant us your love, mercy and courage to return to you with all of our hearts.” In Jesus Precious Name. Amen. I went to see Bro. Wes last Friday, May 7th and I was overwhelmed at the difference in him from a while back. He was sitting in a wheel chair and several nurses were pampering him. Alma Faye and I walked up and the nurse asked him…”Who is this? Wes replied, you mean this old man? That’s Jack Armstrong. She said who is he? Wes said one of the best friends I’ve ever had. She said how long have you known him? He said better than 20 years. Where did you meet him? Wes said at the old Sunset Church of Christ. As Alma Faye often says, we must be cautiouly optimistic but seeing him doing so much better just made my day! I told him if he didn’t get back, they are liable to get me to preach, and he put his hand on his forehead and rolled his eyes back as if to say OH NO! I called Jacob and told him the good news and he said it made his day too! Alma Faye did say that Rick Ramsey has been a “lifesaver “ for them and she didn’t know what they would have done without him. Thanks again, Rick for all you do!!

Semper Fidelis (Always Faithful)