Sunday Afternoon Blogation

I hope your Sunday has been a good one for you. We had a good number of people present today for worship. I didn't do a typical Mother's Day sermon, but instead opted to talk about something that has really been a big burden for all of us since the storm: Guilt. You can hear it on my podcast, HERE. After services, I headed back home and elevated my leg and placed a heating pad on it. Things have not seemed to progress over the past few days. I'm ready for that leg to heal up! Of course, we don't have a choice in these matters. It's great to have workers from North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee here. The crew from Kentucky/Tennessee are on their third trip down. This time they have done some work around the building. They placed a wood floor in the church offices and covered the outside steps with an indoor/outdoor carpet. I'm not sure what they'll be doing next. Late late tonight Seth Simmons and crew will arrive for a week of work. They will also have a devotional every night at the church for themselves and any who would like to attend. I think after the devotional they want to hang out at the dining hall and play guitars and drink coffee. Sounds like a bunch of college students, doesn't it! I hope I'll get to join them some of the time. Yesterday Allen came by to cut my grass. I didn't ask him to, but I was thankful for his service. I took a picture from inside. It's not all that great, but I'll share it with you anyway. I'm really proud of the progress Allen is making and I hope you'll join me in praying for this young man who has so much to offer. Brooke and Twila Michael are here to help us for several months. They have already proven themselves to be outstanding servants of God. They have been involved in a special ministry for a long time. They work with churches in need, and they do all they can to lift people up and bring them closer to God. I know that over the months we are going to enjoy getting to know Brooke and Twila more and more. Another visitor we had this morning was Veto Roley from Birmingham, Alabama. I only know Veto via some e-mail lists such as the Berean Spirit yahoo group, and I think he is also on the Spiritual Formation yahoo group. For the uninitiated, Yahoo Groups are e-mail lists where people can communicate on specific matters. Over time, the people who are sharing e-mails back and forth get to know one another. Veto is relatively new to me, but I appreciate much of what he writes. I was glad to put a face with the name. His brother from Austin, Texas, was also with him this morning. Veto is the one in the white shirt! I have been on the phone the past few days with Esther. You might remember the lady from Israel that I talked about a while back. She is near Cherokee, SC and has been ill with a big virus over the past week. I'm trying to locate some help in Raleigh so that she can spend a few nights there. If you can help me, call me ASAP. She is pretty much over the virus, but left weak and trying to get to a friend's house. I appreciated the preacher at Cherokee who helped her a little today. There is also a lady who runs the hotel where she is staying, who has helped her some. But Esther is in bad shape and in need of our prayers and help. I hope you have a good Mother's Day. My mother has a sore throat, and my stepdad is recovering from a lung biopsy. My brother and his family are there visiting, so I know they are taking care of them for the weekend. Wish I could have been there, but just couldn't be. As Jerry Cook says in his new book, The Monday Morning Church, the church is more about Monday Morning than it is about Sunday. As we enter the world tomorrow, let's bring Christ with us!