Note from Sunday, December 15, 2013
Did you read the Baptist Times article on thankfulness yet? Bro. Hardy made a great point in the article in saying that the 9 lepers who were healed by Jesus didn’t finish the job. Jesus healed 10 lepers that day, and only one returned to thank Jesus. It seems like Jesus expected the other lepers to complete the circle and return to Jesus to thank him for healing them. When they didn’t, Jesus took it as a time to teach a lesson on gratitude.
I hope that in this season especially, you are the most grateful person in the world. I hope you take it on yourself to express your gratitude for others, for family, for things, for gifts, for everything. God has blessed you with so much. Thanksgiving is a holiday set up for being thankful, but we should always be thankful people. The Thanksgiving spirit should carry over into this season of giving, too.
Are you thankful? Think about how you’ve expressed gratitude lately. Be purposely and genuinely thankful, and let is show. Express it. Show it. Write it. Say it. Then say it again. Don’t be flippant. Be sincere. Be direct. Be heard. Don’t let someone else be thankful for you. YOU be thankful.
Your parents pay a lot of money for you to be alive and healthy. The Myers family was super gracious to allow us to crash their house on Friday. Pastor has poured his life into this church. The Bakers give rides, provide money, and donate a lot of their time to you, despite Bro. Ken being 86 years old (you had to be here last week). J
You are surrounded by people that constantly give to you. I’m writing this to myself! When I look at it that way, I’m a horrible person! I should be WAY better at thanking people for what they do. How about you?
-Bro. Ryan
COOKIE FUND-RAISER – if you have cookies for tonight, please bring them before the service tonight.
YOUTH WINTER RENDEZVOUS – January 2-3 in Wrightwood, CA. Leaving at 8am Thursday and returning Friday evening. The YWR is a 2-day camp in the mountains where we will enjoy snow play, indoor games, and, most importantly, 4 preaching sessions. Cost is $110 and includes all gas, meals and lodging.
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM TONIGHT – Please be in your seats around 5:45 tonight. If one or two guys can stick around after the morning service today to help me hang the back-drop, I would appreciate it.