This has truly been a tough week. As many have heard, my dad had a stroke this week. Contrary to what has floated around various places, it was NOT a massive stroke. God blessed him and protected him from any brain damage. He has no speech problems, or anything of that nature. He has been talking, joking, and been in pretty good spirits over all, the last few days. He is regaining strength daily, and is currently in a rehab facility receiving therapy. It was a scare, but he is doing quite well for a man just four days after a stroke.
In other tough week news, I have an uncle on mom's side who is very sick with cancer. My mom and her siblings have beentrying to stay close to him. He is a Christian man, of which we are very glad.
Today, another uncle was put in the hospital with symptoms like a heart attack (although he has not yet had an actual "attack"). He is stable, and should go home tomorrow.
My wife is currently acting very much like she may be getting a virus, or something. Please pray for all of these.
Today I got the chance to see several friends who I hadn't seen since all the turmoil began in our region this past year. It was great to see them, to get a chance to hug them and tell them how much I love them. They were having an event here on the family property we live on, organized by my wife's uncle Jeff. A fellowship type activity, with games and such. We weren't there because we had a wedding to attend in another county, but we seen several of them before we left. I really love and miss those folks. It was nice to see them.
I guess I better stop writing for the night. I got to go to Raceland tomorrow to preach the word and fellowship with the saints there. I need some sleep.
God bless you all...
Brother Donnie
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Friday, June 16, 2006
A Handful of Patience is Better than a Bushel of Brains
...or so I've read. I wonder sometimes if I possess either. Today I put my daughters' swingset together. It's one we had up in Raceland, and it was taken apart for the move. The parts have been sitting in a pile of weeds for several months now. Honest to pete, the thing was harder to put together this time than when it was new!!! That or I'm an idiot...
First I put it together with the hooks that hold the swing-chains on the top, facing the sky. I noticed this while trying to hold back my tears when I could not get the screw to fit through the holes in the two opposite legs and the top cross bar to meet the nut on the other side. So, after deciding that throwing the thing over the fence would not be the proper Christian thing to do, I took it apart quickly, looking over my shoulder periodically to make sure my wife was not coming up the drive. Then I got the crossbar and the hooks facing the right direction. I stood the whole thing up with the sets of legs on both outside ends holding the weight. I tried several different, very creative methods to get the center legs to allow me to line up the screws, nuts and screw holes so that the goofy thing would fit. 45 minutes of insanity ensued. Then suddenly, I figured out the method. In ten short minutes the thing was standing on it's own. Stupid thing.
Anyways, the girls both are very happy to have their swings. Little Tater even has her own swing on the thing. She really had fun on that and the slide. Haley came home and swung a while. So that was the payoff. I really do love my girls. Even though the lousy swing set had the ol' preacher wanting to cry, spit, and kick the dirt right out from under it, at the end of the day my girls are happy and I am a very satisfied daddy.
God bless...
Brother Donnie
First I put it together with the hooks that hold the swing-chains on the top, facing the sky. I noticed this while trying to hold back my tears when I could not get the screw to fit through the holes in the two opposite legs and the top cross bar to meet the nut on the other side. So, after deciding that throwing the thing over the fence would not be the proper Christian thing to do, I took it apart quickly, looking over my shoulder periodically to make sure my wife was not coming up the drive. Then I got the crossbar and the hooks facing the right direction. I stood the whole thing up with the sets of legs on both outside ends holding the weight. I tried several different, very creative methods to get the center legs to allow me to line up the screws, nuts and screw holes so that the goofy thing would fit. 45 minutes of insanity ensued. Then suddenly, I figured out the method. In ten short minutes the thing was standing on it's own. Stupid thing.
Anyways, the girls both are very happy to have their swings. Little Tater even has her own swing on the thing. She really had fun on that and the slide. Haley came home and swung a while. So that was the payoff. I really do love my girls. Even though the lousy swing set had the ol' preacher wanting to cry, spit, and kick the dirt right out from under it, at the end of the day my girls are happy and I am a very satisfied daddy.
God bless...
Brother Donnie
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
New General Overseer
I guess by now the news is pretty well out. Brother Stephen Smith has been selected as General Overseer to serve until the General Assembly at which time we will go before the Lord to find His perfect will. Will Brother Smith be named General Overseer at the General Assembly? We all probably have our opinions, and perhaps it is likely he will. The fact is, not one of us knows for sure, withunless we have received some kind of an insight from God, through the Holy Ghost
I am sure that like everything else that happens these days in the church, this will be pondered, considered, debated, and just carried on about in general for the next several months. There will be some who speak in favor of the man, perhaps some who speak against the choice, but in the end what matters is what does God say? I am glad the Presbytery meeting is behind us, and glad that there is a selection. I think it is a good selection. But At the General Assembly, I want to hear very little of our opinions, and a great lot of weeping and crying out to God until we hear from Him, either "This is the man." or "This is not him, I have chosen another."
As far as I'm concerned, Brother Smith is a fine man who I believe loves God, and The Church of God. I have held him in high regard for years. I am certainly ready at this point to work with him as we prepare for the upcoming General Assembly. In preparation for this Assembly, we all need to be about the work of preparing our hearts to hear from Heaven. We must get the mind of God. If God confirms Brother Smith to be the General Overseer at the General Assembly, I will be ready and excited to work with him from then on, as well.
God bless you all. I am praying for you...
Brother Donnie
I am sure that like everything else that happens these days in the church, this will be pondered, considered, debated, and just carried on about in general for the next several months. There will be some who speak in favor of the man, perhaps some who speak against the choice, but in the end what matters is what does God say? I am glad the Presbytery meeting is behind us, and glad that there is a selection. I think it is a good selection. But At the General Assembly, I want to hear very little of our opinions, and a great lot of weeping and crying out to God until we hear from Him, either "This is the man." or "This is not him, I have chosen another."
As far as I'm concerned, Brother Smith is a fine man who I believe loves God, and The Church of God. I have held him in high regard for years. I am certainly ready at this point to work with him as we prepare for the upcoming General Assembly. In preparation for this Assembly, we all need to be about the work of preparing our hearts to hear from Heaven. We must get the mind of God. If God confirms Brother Smith to be the General Overseer at the General Assembly, I will be ready and excited to work with him from then on, as well.
God bless you all. I am praying for you...
Brother Donnie
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
15 Days Later...
...the big fella gets back to blogging. I have been scolded by a certain McDonald's loving little nerd of a friend in Ohio, through my wife, because I am such a bad blogger. SOOOOOORRRRRRYYYYY!
I have been very busy, not to mention preoccupied. I have literally found it difficult to concentrate on much of anything lately. Too much on my mind, I suppose.
On the upside of that, the whole situation we have going on in the church is driving me to the old prayer closet. I have a favorite quote that I picked up somewhere along the way that says "Trouble and perplexity drive us to pray. Prayer driveth away trouble and perplexity." So it is perfectly natural when troubled and perplexed, as now, to pray. Although the trouble seemingly has not yet left, after a good season of prayer one feels refreshed and able to move on. Maybe the current situation will drive us all to our knees a bit more and help us to draw closer to God. I have dedicated the biggest part of our local church services, at both churches to prayer lately. The troubling thing is that it sometimes seems like pulling teeth to really get folks to get down to business and PRAY! We have become so accustomed to the standard way of conducting services that it can sometimes be hard to break that monotony. At any rate, surely the Lord will help us.
God bless...
Donnie
I have been very busy, not to mention preoccupied. I have literally found it difficult to concentrate on much of anything lately. Too much on my mind, I suppose.
On the upside of that, the whole situation we have going on in the church is driving me to the old prayer closet. I have a favorite quote that I picked up somewhere along the way that says "Trouble and perplexity drive us to pray. Prayer driveth away trouble and perplexity." So it is perfectly natural when troubled and perplexed, as now, to pray. Although the trouble seemingly has not yet left, after a good season of prayer one feels refreshed and able to move on. Maybe the current situation will drive us all to our knees a bit more and help us to draw closer to God. I have dedicated the biggest part of our local church services, at both churches to prayer lately. The troubling thing is that it sometimes seems like pulling teeth to really get folks to get down to business and PRAY! We have become so accustomed to the standard way of conducting services that it can sometimes be hard to break that monotony. At any rate, surely the Lord will help us.
God bless...
Donnie
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