Weekend Wrap-up

We had a busy weekend....a good weekend, but busy!

It started Friday with the College Christmas party at our house. My plan was to blog on Friday about Priscilla Shirer's session from the Deeper Still event, but with all the cleaning and cooking that day, computer time didn't happen. I made 75 pigs in a blanket, sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, opened all the fixings for smores and had that on a large tray, and bought hot chocolate, flavored coffee, and drinks. We had a great group come and they all brought food too. Reagan was in "hog" heaven! Every time I saw her she had something sweet in her hand. I am still surprised that she didn't throw up...glad...but surprised. Both girls had a great time and stayed awake until after 10:00. You would have thought they would have slept late on Saturday morning....but NO!

Saturday morning I had to clean the house again and then get ready for a wedding at 1:00. Bryan Easley and Shelia Horne got married and it was beautiful and a little emotional. We got home around 3:00 and then headed to Montgomery to clean my sister's office...something I do once a month.

By the time we got home, it was time to eat supper, get the girls ready for bed, pack the bags and iron clothes for church and hit the sack.

On Sunday, we had a busy day of worship, with great music and preaching in the morning and evening service. Bro. Glenn made several announcements that have received interesting responses...
1. Bro. Michael, our music minister, has accepted a job in Colorado. Gene and I love Michael and his wife Nicole, and we love the music aspect of the worship service so this was really sad news for the church as a whole. Their last Sunday will be January 2nd.

2. Bro. Jerry, our school "headmaster" has accepted another job and will also start at the beginning of the year. The job doesn't require a move, so they will remain an active part of our church which is a huge relief and a blessing for all of us.

3. Our church will no longer have Sunday night services. I have been really surprised at some of the negative feedback that has come from this decision, and some of the biggest complainers aren't even faithful in attendance, at least not to the DT hour. Bro. Glenn is trying to do something positive for the families in our church to alleviate some of the busyness that our culture imposes on us. Families with children especially feel the pressure with sports and homework and the school schedule and church functions, not to mention that in most homes both parents work outside the home. Family time at home...together...in a non-rushed way is so limited. What a gift to have Sunday evenings at home! It never occurred to me that some people would be so negative and disrespectful to our pastor about a positive thing for our families. A few families are talking about leaving the church.....
Really? Leaving the church...... A church you have loved and supported for years and years.... A church where your children have close friends.... A church where you have a support system... I don't get that....at all! How fickle people can be! I guess it is "their way or no way", which is not biblical submission.
Sunday evenings in the nursery have been really difficult with anywhere from 5 to 8 workers NOT showing up and the DT attendance has been terrible across the board. Our faithful workers are burned out and there is no need to keep doing something just for the sake of doing something. I am praying that Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings will become even more powerful and life-giving to our families and that those who are so upset will start to see the free evening as the gift of time. I would also love to see small groups develop where people can be discipled, rather than just slipping in a worship service and slipping out. I wouldn't want the groups to be long term, every week all year long, which would defeat the purpose of family time. But rather maybe cover a topic for a month and then take a month or two off for a time of refreshing, etc.

We plan on having a family devotion time and family activity time on Sunday evenings...not just another evening to plop in front of the television. Hopefully many other families will choose to do the same thing, with fathers stepping up to lead this time.

And while I am on the subject, let's try to keep all our negative comments and opinions off of Facebook. It really just puts your testimony at risk and hurts the body of Christ.

Until next time...