Bulletin / Prayer List 1-1-17

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE

Prayer List
Joyce Rhoden is in Homestead of Sherman room 401.
Brenda Williams, A.C. Quinn’s daughter is home recovering from a heart attack. She is improving.
A friend of Greg Counts’, Ronnie Brown is a diabetic and is having problems with his sight.
Dale Brown a fried of Kerry King needs our prayers.

Andy LeDane, Eddie Griffin, James and Florene Griffin, Jimmy Griffin, Jerry and Betty Harris, Don Hickerson, Lester and Billie Phillips, Mark Morris, Dan Tucker, Mary Jean Turner, Aramanda family, Jack and Diane Arnold, Betty Clark, Doris James, Gary Hickerson, Bobbie King, Dan LeDane, Carol Moore, Beryl Miller, and Don Boyd.

Serving in the military: 
Dakota Smitherman is back in the U. S... 
Travis Counts has been deployed to Kuwait. 
Faith Balzen is in California. 
Cody Blomstedt is in El Paso, Texas.

Let us pray for our country and government leaders and those who are in harms way, military and civilian personnel.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much…

Men’s Business Meeting is next Sunday after evening worship services. All men are invited and encouraged to attend.

Pantry Item: Paper Towels

Jan. 8th Prayers: Morning: Butch Balzen – Kerry King
Evening: Charles Counts – Jerry Harris
Scriptures: Robert Embry
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Changing Seasons
By Kerry King

When God created the earth and all things therein, He created the changing seasons, each with a special purpose. Spring is time for planting and of new life. Flowers bloom and show their beauty. Trees put on leaves, begin to bud and pollinate. Life is brought back to many things that seemed lifeless. Summer is the time of growth. It is also a time of preparation. Wood is cut and stockpiled for the winter. Hay is baled and stored to feed the cattle. The days are warm and long. When the sun disappears beyond the horizon, the night creatures sing us to sleep. Fall is the time of harvest. Plants are gathered and taken to market. The days become shorter. The nights are cooler. The leaves of the trees become a blanket of color in the forests that slowly begin to fall to the earth. The animals start growing their heavy coats for winter. The bear starts his preparation for his long nap. And then winter is here. The wind turns around from the north and becomes bitter cold. The snow starts falling. The trees have lost all traces of life. They look like skeletons that are waiting to be buried. The migratory birds have all flown south to escape the harshness that winter brings. And then spring comes again and the cycle starts over.

So it is with our lives (James 4:11-14). We are born into this world needing the care and love of a mother and father (Eph. 6:2-4). We are constantly growing and our needs are continually changing. At first we need only milk (1 Pet. 2:2), then as we grow we need more and more nourishment (Heb. 5: 12-14). Then we become full-grown and have to make preparation for our later years (2 Pet. 3:18). Finally, we are old. Our life is almost over and we look back to see what we have accomplished. We see the children and grandchildren that are our legacy and wonder if they will survive. They will if we have made the right preparation (Mt. 6:33). A life lived according to God’s word can and will leave a legacy of obedient children that will continue to work, labor and grow throughout the changing seasons of life. May we never forget to teach our children the way of truth (Jn. 14:6), always being the living example (Mt. 5:16). Training starts early and continues for a lifetime, so let’s get started. As long as we have breath left in us it is not too late (Phil. 1:21).