Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Friday, March 30, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
(Jesus said) 10 "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth." - Revelation 3:10(New International Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book (John); 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. - John 20:30-31(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
Our character is revealed in our giving, and our character governs our relationships. - W. E. McCumber -

A THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
Every single act of love bears the imprint of God. - From Home is Where The Heart Is -

NOTES
Today has been a sunny day with a high temperature of 81 degrees and a low temperature of 62 degrees. I have felt much better today than I did for a part of yesterday. I had lunch with Charley, Bill and my pastor, J. T. Carnell. I went to the post office and then by a Dollar General Store. At 1:00 p.m. I went to the hospital to see my brother, Abe, but he had been dismissed from the hospital yesterday. I took my nap this afternoon and Beau was with me from the start and Smokey came along later. I sat outside with the cats and read from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. One thing about my notes is that my kids and grandkids find out how I am doing every day. Since the last Good Things I have had e-mails from Burlene, Carissa(my granddaughter), Alice, Mary Jo, Michele, Debra, Annette, Stan, Audie and Tiyan. Thanks for your e-mails and your concern.
The cats are fine. I have the front patio door ajar so the cats are coming and going in and out tonight. They like for the door to be opened slightly. Little Girl is on the sofa.
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.

Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
March 29, 2012

“Fending Off Attacks!” (Apathy)
“Above all else, guard your heart….it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

Apathy: “Lack of interest or concern; especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal…indifference. Lack of emotion…impassive.”
It has been said that too many Americans have been inoculated with a slight case of Christianity that is preventing them from getting the real thing. Perhaps this has something to do with how much of God people really want. Here is a quote from Wilbur Rees to make you think:,br /> "I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please - not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of him to make me love a foreigner or pick beets with a migrant worker. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of a womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please.",br /> I especially like the line 'I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth'. This, I am afraid, is exactly what people want out of their worship and church experiences. Not something that demands them to pick up a cross, make major sacrifices and follow Jesus. Rather, they want something that makes them comfortable with who they already are and not what Christ could lead them to be. They want acceptance as they are, not repentance so they can be who they ought to be.
In one way…apathy is not taking responsibility for our relationship with God. We take for granted that it is just there and do nothing with it or for it. What happens then when a need arises or storms come—would we be ready?
When we lived in the Ft. Worth area, Carswell Air Force base was our neighbor. The base had closed about three years before we moved there—but what was the most disturbing to me was that the housing units that had been used for the soldiers was allowed to sit unoccupied and most of them were boarded up and wasting away. Rotting and falling apart. If the base were to reopen it would cost thousands of dollars to repair those homes, if they could be repaired at all. That, to me, is what apathy does to us Spiritually—we do not allow the Holy Spirit to build His home within us and what God accomplished through the death and resurrection of His Son loses its power! An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.,br /> The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials.
It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, he handed the front-door key back to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If the carpenter had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than our best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that, we would have done it differently.
Don’t allow apathy to rot the home Christ wants to build within us.

Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Thursday, March 29, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. - 1 Peter 3:15-16(New International Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
13 Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God." - Mark 10:13-14(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. - Helen Keller -

A THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
No child appreciates how much his parents did for him until he has children of his own. - From Home is Where The Heart Is -

NOTES
Well, this has really been a day for me. As I told you last night I was going to be with Charley for his surgery this morning. I got up between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. I turned on the coffee urn and put out canned food for my kitties(I do that first thing every morning). I heated me a couple of Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits in the microwave as I do every morning. I took a pain pill, drank my coffee and ate my biscuits and all was fine. I came out to the den with another cup of coffee with a couple of cookies and took the rest of my pills(high blood pressure, etc.). I checked my e-mail and some people had commented on the song (Consider The Lilies) that I left last night on the Good Things. I sang the lyrics to the song as I sat at my computer. Everything was still fine. It was around 7:00 a.m. by then and time for me to get dressed to leave at 7:30 to go pick up Charley. I took my coffee cup back to the kitchen preparing to sit it on the counter. Suddenly I got dizzy and was barely able to stand up. Somehow I made it to my bedroom and fell into the bed. Then somehow I managed to get the phone and dialed Charley and told him to call one of his men church friends (who are always ready to do anything for him) to take him to the hospital. I lay on the bed with cold perspiration coming from my body and my head was still swimming a little. Suddenly I had to vomit and I always keep a trash can by my bed with a plastic liner in it. I vomited and all I could feel coming up was coffee. I lay back down for an instant and then had to vomit a second time. I lay back down and things quieted down in my head so I just lay there. I think my cats know when something is wrong with me because soon Rascal (the cat that we think Flonnie sent to me) came and lay down close to me. I gradually got better and Rascal left. As the morning wore on I felt better and was able to get up and walk around. At 11:15 a.m. I thought Charley should be back home by then so I called his house but he was not home yet. Just then I got a call from Charley's friend who took him to the hospital to tell me Charley had come through the surgery fine and was about to go home. I talked to Charley who was also very concerned about me. I assured him that I was okay now. Charley's friend wanted to know if he could come get me to go have lunch at Taco Bob's. I said nooooo, not today. About 2:00 p.m. I was feeling so well that I thought I would go to the post office to get my mail. By then I was also hungry. I thought about going through MacDonald's drive through and get a small hamburger. Then I thought, you don't need any fried food. Then I thought about a small fruit salad that Taco Bob makes and that sounded good to me. So I called Bob and he had it ready for me to bring home as I went for my mail. I ate half of the salad then and the rest around 7:00. I said before that I think my cats know when something is wrong. As I later lay in bed Smokey came first and lay in the bed. He seldom touches me when he sleeps. Then Leo came(Leo very seldom sleeps with me). Then Beau came. Beau and Leo were snuggling me, one on each side. Friendly came along and checked on me. Rascal came back and stayed two or three minutes but I guess he decided that I had enough company so he went to another bedroom. Later in the afternoon I lay down again and everything seemed so peaceful. Later I sat out with the cats and read for awhile. That is my story for today. I hope I didn't bore you with the details. Since the last Good Things I have heard from Burlene, Mary Jo, Alice, Gaetano, Michele and Annette. Thanks for your e-mails.
The cats are fine. Leo and Little Girl are in the den with me at present. Rascal was here and just left out. The others are around.
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.

Nan's Calendar

by Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC
Marh 29, 2012

The important thing after setting a goal is taking action. Napoleon Hill

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Just imagine that I had only thought of giving my 12 teddy bears to the hospital ER last year and had not taken action; so many lives would not have been touched; so many people would not have been comforted; so many times over God would not have been given the glory He so richly deserves. I did take action and the result today is that with the remaining teddies in the hospital right this moment, when they have been given to children in need, the total given since July 22, 2011 will be 485 teddies. It boggles my mind at how greatly God multiplied those 12 teddies for His purpose!! The teddies have not taken over my life. Yes, it has taken perseverance to continue to seek them out, to clean them, to copy the poems and stuff envelopes, to deliver them to the hospital and I have loved every moment of it all!!!! These two Bible verses speak volumes to me. It's just that easy! Simply believe that someone willing is on the other side of the door upon which you knock to aid you in your endeavor. Have a wonderful day in the Lord!
Love, Nan

Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.

- Daniel 12:3(New International Version). GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
(Jesus said) 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" - Matthew 6:28-30(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
Everyone is someone to Jesus. - W. E. McCumber -

A THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
Children must feel loved before love has any meaning for them. - From Home is Where The Heart Is -

NOTES
Today has been a sunny day with a high temperature of 80 degrees and a low temperature of 64 degrees. I had lunch with Bill. I went to the post office and then to Walgreens to pick up a prescription. Charley returned home a little after noontime. My brother, Abe, who is 93 years old is in the hospital. I think he has a kidney infection. I went to see him at 2:00 p.m. Charley was also there and Abe's daughter, Loretta. Charley will have outpatient surgery in the morning to remove a small cancer from his bladder. I will be there with him as his children live out of town. Since last nights Good Things I have had e-mails from Burlene, Debra, Geneva, Annette and Michelle. I always appreciate your e-mails. I sat outside with the cats this evening from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. I had already seen the Billy Graham program that was on tonight so I didn't watch it. One of the Scriptures tonight tells us to consider the lilies. There is a song titled "Consider The Lilies" which I just love. I will leave the words to this song at the end of the Good Things. If you know the melody sing it. You can also pick it up on You Tube by various artists. Stan McMullen sings this song sometimes in out church. Brother Stan you haven't sang it in awhile so its about time we heard it again.
The cats are fine. Little Girl sound asleep on the couch and Rascal is asleep on the desk here beside my computer. The rest are all accounted for this evening.
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.
Consider The Lilies
Consider the lilies, they don’t toil nor spin And there’s not a king with more splendor than them. Consider the sparrows, they don’t plant nor sow, But they’re fed by the Master who watches them grow.

Chorus
We have a Heavenly Father above With eyes so full of mercy And a heart full of love. He really cares when Your head is bowed low. Consider the lilies and then you will know. Hmmmmm.....

May I introduce you to this friend of mine, Who hangs out the stars and tells the sun when to shine. He kisses the flowers each morning with dew, But He’s not too busy to care about you.

Chorus
We have a Heavenly Father above With eyes full of mercy And a heart full of love. He really cares when Your head is bowed low. Consider the lilies and then you will know. Yes, consider the lilies and then you will know.
Joel Hemphill