Sharing Jesus

I know we are all sadden by the events of last week & the weekend but I hope as you watch the little children last night you were able to put the horrific events out of your mind for a few minutes and focus on the story, showing Jesus's love to a person who needed it. My hope and prayer is that we all do as Rebecca & Drew did in the story, step out on faith, take a chance, even a second chance and go to someone you know who is in need of knowing about God's love. As a saved person it is our responsibility to share Jesus with others. I know it is the gift giving season and everyone is running around trying to get the perfect presents, spending crazy amounts of money(my house is no exception to this) but there is no gift you can purchase, no amount of money you can spend that will have have a more lasting affect than Jesus.  So as we give the perfect gifts we have so carefully chosen for our family & friends take a moment & think about the person & question "do they know Jesus?" If not I pray you have the courage and the opportunity to share Jesus with that person. I pray I have that same courage & opportunity too!

Big thank you to anyone who helped w/ the kids program. I had so many people help with this or that. I am blessed to work with wonderful parents and church family who try to help out anyway they can. You should all be so proud of your children. They practiced so hard.....and practice is not fun but they did it because they wanted to share Jesus. I am proud of them!

This Wed. night we are going to have a break & have some deserved fun! I told the kids to bring a snack to share (anything they chose) and we are going to read the Christmas Story & play reindeer games in the gym. This Sunday there will be no children's church during preaching because we will listen to the adult choir perform. Next Wed. night, Dec. 26, there will be no church.

This Friday, at the Gadsden Mall fountain, our children will ring the Salvation Army Bell from 10-6. I have a few hour time slots left to fill so let me know if you would like to be a Bell Ringer......it is something you will never forget! If you are out & about stop by the fountain & drop some change in the pot.

Remember Jason & Lauren Ayres as they take off on this wonderful trip to bring home their children! Remember their children who are home, who I know will miss their parents but look forward to meeting their siblings. Remember Elizabeth & Davidson who are about to be welcomed into one awesome family!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christ centered week!

Final December Reminders...... I hope!

Alright boys & girls, Moms & Dads this is the final week of practice for the kids Christmas musical. We will practice Wed. night 6-7. Then Friday night will be the dress rehearsal, 6-8. They will be feed Deoreos pizza from 6-6:30 then we will start the musical practice. I do need a few moms/dads to help w/ feeding, clean up & costumes. The kids do not have to wear the clothing they are wearing Sunday but they need to have their lines memorized & know those songs. I think the only song we are struggling with is Here We Come A Caroling. I have been saying wear the red VBS t shirt & stick a long sleeve tee underneath but I told them yesterday they can wear any red shirt or something w/ a festive Christmas design. I really don't care as long as they are festive looking. I was just trying to keep us from buying new clothing for one night. Some also had Santa hats they wanted to wear so anything like that is fine w/ me. They story revolves around the kids caroling so they can wear those crazy toboggans or scarves if they want. JUST LOOK CHRISTMASY OR WEAR THE RED VBS SHIRT! If y'all have questions just call or text me. Invite people! When kids perform it is always a great excuse to get people into the church. I firmly believe it we get them there God handles the rest!

The last thing I have is the Salvation Army bell ringing. The children's dept. has been doing this for yrs now & it is such a worthy cause. The kids & their parents pick a 1 hour time slot & just ring the bell at the center fountain of the Gadsden Mall. I have already had 2 families hit me up for time slots so right now I have 12-6 open. Let me know if you want to work for an hour! You will not regret the decision!

Please pray for the musical....that some part of it touches a heart and that if anyone is in our church that night who doesn't Jesus that they leave there knowing Him. Please pray for a good pathology report for Mom on Thursday & for Mrs. Johnson's grandson Kyle. I hope you all have the most blessed week!

December Reminders

Before I even start on all we have to do I need to give a big thank you to the kids in my SS class. I am so blessed to be able to spend time w/ the most compassionate & loving kids. I had 2 children as soon as they saw me yesterday ask about my mom, 1 ask to put her on the prayer list, then a group want to make cards for her. The apples do not fall far from the tree! Great parents= great kids! Thank you for all the prayers, texts, handling movie night & just awesome words of encouragement!

Reminder that Breakfast with Santa is this coming Sat. Dec. 8, 9 am. Santa will arrive by firetruck! This is a great opportunity to invite someone to church so take a moment & call someone & invite them! Please remember there is no cost for the breakfast but I need reservations made by Wed.  Dec. 5 so I know how much food to purchase & prepare. At this moment I have very few reservations. I would also love some youth & a few youth moms to volunteer to help w/ serving & clean up. Maybe that way those Moms w/ little ones can enjoy the event. If you can help please let me know. PARENTS DO NOT FORGET A CAMERA FOR THAT SANTA PIC!!

We are moving right along w/ our Chistmas musical practice. The kids have done a great job learning the music. This Wed. we will start to practice lines & put the whole show together. I need everyone who can to be at practice Wed. & Sunday. Sunday we will practice for the full preaching hour. Reminder on outfits. Kids need there red VBS shirt (There is extras in Allison's room) & a white, green or something festive looking long sleeve shirt under it. They can wear jeans or whatever pants they choose. I'll have all the costumes next week for those in the nativity. Dress rehearsal is Friday night Dec. 14.  After the musical the kids will perform 2 songs during the dinner theatre. As it gets closer, I know some of you might not stay for the dinner theatre, just let me know so I have an idea how many kids will be staying to sing. If you have questions or want to make reservations for breakfast, call me 256-442-0120 or text 256-393-1063. have a great week & remember Jesus is the reason for the season!!

November Redo

I joked last night w/ a friend who is having some difficulties that we both need a November redo. Seems like November has been a stinker for many of us. I know of a friend w/ surgery gone wrong, one caring for an ailing parent, some losing parents, children sick, divorce, loss of job and of course my own family's situation w/ mother. It has been a tough month for so many people, yet I have seen so many just keep on keeping on! As Christian's God never told us this world would be easy, He never said everything would go our way. Every plan I have made lately, God has rearranged. I know His plan is perfect and I  have gotten over not getting my way & now I am just going with what ever comes my way. I have seen so many in the situations listed above doing that....just making the best of it and going w/ whatever God has planned. I am thankful for those people because they are such inspirations to me. We can't get a November redo but in less than a week it will be a new month & I am believing it will be a better month.

The kids should all have their music cd's by now. Please have them learning those songs & if they have a speaking part, memorizing it. We will be practicing Wed. nights upstairs in my SS class & every Sunday during children's church for the Christmas musical. PLEASE REMEMBER rehearsal is DEC 14 6-8. They will have a pizza supper then practice the entire play so I need every child there PLEASE!!! Show will be Dec. 16, 6 pm. I will have all the costumes for the kids who are in the nativity scene.

A few other reminders: This Friday night is the Polar Express PJ Movie Night. 6:30 in the gym. Everyone wear your PJS. We will have cookies, hot cocoa & watch the Polar Express. I do realize Mom is suppose to have surgery that day & if I can't make it, the show will still go on thanks to Katie & Teresa! Also, remember Breakfast w/ Santa. This is for anyone, I just need reservations in by Dec. 5th so I can prepare enough food. Santa has been located & I believe he will arrive by firetruck! There will be a heavenly angel named Ben Clough watching over Santa! Hint Hint!! Any of these events would be a great opp to invite someone to church.  I hope you all have a great week and remember even though we have alot going on at church, we do it all because of Jesus.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK

I am pretty sure we are all in the same boat & have so much to be thankful for. God has been so good to me and blessed me w/ a wonderful related family & a wonderful church family. I have really struggled (struggled is probably a mild word if you were Jami & Joey and had to listen to my wailing) these past few weeks w/ mom having cancer again & then the news of waiting to see if it is anywhere else & if it is there being nothing we can do. As usual, I doubt & God handles it. After going to church yesterday & hearing the choirs music I just felt like it was just for me...just the things I needed to hear. Same thing last night @ the Community Thanksgiving Service. The words of being thankful just spoke to my heart & then this young couple sang & I just knew God had this under control. WHY DO I DOUBT?? My brain knows God has this but my emotions have been all over the place! I have felt like a crazy person, w/ my insides churning & my mind running nonstop. Drove my Mom & her sister home last night in complete peace.  I am so thankful for my church family covering my mother in prayers. I ask for your prayers as she has all her scans tomorrow that the cancer is confined to the one breast. I am also going to ask that whatever she goes through that we pray that God uses that to bring someone closer to him. I want every situation my family & I go thru to be used for the glory of God & to bring someone to Him. We have to stay focused on God & he will handle the rest. I hope you all have a very blessed week w/ your loved ones! No church Wed. night.

Kids Reminders:
Christmas music went home yesterday. If you didn't get it please let me know & I'll bring it to you this week. I really need the kids to get those songs learned asap. Please read the letter that was included. The letter said the dress rehearsal would be Friday Dec. 15 but the date is wrong. The rehearsal is Friday Dec. 14. PLEASE  make sure your child is at the dress rehearsal!!!!The Christmas musical will be Sunday night Dec. 16 . Kids need to be at church by 5, show starts @ 6:00. This is the same night as the dinner theatre which will be after the kids perform. Mr. Edwards said he will have tickets for sale next week for that.

Polar Express pj movie night is Nov. 30. In the gym 6:30. Invite someone!!!Cookies & Hot Cocca

Breakfast W/ Santa (STILL NEED A SANTA) is Dec. 8, 9 am in the fellowship hall. There is no charge but I need reservations in by Wed. Dec. 5.

Just a Bunch of Kid Reminders

After a week filled w/ emotional ups & downs...well basically all downs, Moms cancer, my pick not winning the election & Al losing, it is great to be home today & have some quiet time to recharge. The twins are still on the youth camp out @ Arlo's so it is very quiet here.

I wanted to remind everyone that Wed. night is the packing night for our shoeboxes. The washclothes, soap, toothbrushes & toothpaste are already at church. All your child needs to bring is the toys they chose to fill the box with & whatever else they might like to include. We also have the boxes. Remember to include $7.00 for shipping but if that is a problem.... it is ok. Still do your box. I know we all have alot of expenses coming out of the budget right now. Thanksgiving is next week & the meal cost all our arms & legs then we have Christmas coming. I definitely understand! Don't let your child miss out on this great mission opportunity. The kids love helping others.

We have begun practice on our kids Christmas musical. It will be Dec. 16, 6pm. I am still in the process of figuring out what & who is doing this or that. I told the kids I'll be sending home the CD next Sunday for them to memorize the music. Believe me... I know it gets old listening to that music over & over but please have it playing every chance you get. The quicker we learn the music the better. Remember to start looking for your VBS red t shirts. I want us to wear them w/ white or green shirts underneath. If your child does not have one please go ahead & let me know.  Ok, so that is the 16th. Mr. Edwards asked me if the kids would perform Sun night Dec. 9 @ the dinner. Idk any details yet but he wanted the kids to perform 2 songs & they will be regular Christmas songs like Rudolph or Jingle Bells that we will not be singing in our musical. I told him we would but once I got to thinking about that I better ask yall moms because that will be 2 Sunday nights in a row that you are committing to be at church. Let me know what you think. I am fine w/ it but I want to make sure yall are ok too. December 8th will be breakfast w/ Santa & I still need a man to be Santa. Let me know if you know of someone one willing to do that. I know all of this seems far off but it will be here literally in a few weeks. Hold on to your hat, time is gonna fly by! Stay focused on Jesus because He is the reason for the season!! Please keep my momma in your prayers this week. Pray for Kendra's brother Harry. He had a heart attack last night & open heart surgery. I hear he is doing well. Have a blessed week!

Info on Operation Christmas Child boxes

This is the easiest way to make sure everyone who has a child in the kids' dept. at WBBC knows what is going on for the week or month. I could text but would take too long. I hope you check this blog every Monday afternoon so you have the latest info & so your child doesn't miss out on fun church stuff.

Last night we watched the kick off video for Operation Christmas Child & your child filled out a sheet about themselves to include in their box. Boxes were assembled & now just need to be filled & delivered. The children will be filling those this coming Wed. night & I will be delivering them Thursday or Friday. To make the process easier this yr. Jeannie, Arlo & I will handle gathering the hygiene items. We will have washclothes, soap, toothbrushes & toothpaste for each box. Your child will just need to bring in the other items they chose to fill the box with. Some suggestions are coloring books & crayons, writing materials, flashlights & batteries, small balls & dolls, stuffed animals, small games, brushes, hair accessories & even flip flops. The Dollar Store is a great place to shop for these smaller items. This is a regular size shoebox not the large boot size box.They can also include hard candy( nothing that will melt) & it needs to be in a ziplock baggie. PLEASE make sure you do not send military figures & plastic guns. If you have questions about what you can & can't include please call me. Each box needs $7.00 shipping but if you can not provide that, it is fine, it will be covered. We will be showing the video to the church Sunday & hopefully they'll be people in the congregation who want to do a box too. Thanks for all your help & for the encouragement you provide your child & the church when it comes to supporting mission outreach! Have a blessed rest of the week!