The Countdown Begins...

There are only 23 shopping days left to get your Christmas shopping done (I say 23 because Christmas eve falls on a Sunday). All you guys out there need to go out now and start shopping for your wives. If you need help finding the perfect present do not call me. I still have to shop for Danna and my Mom. I pray your holiday is filled with the reminder of God's special gift to each of us and may His richest blessings be poured out on you!!
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This is a big weekend for me, Arkansas and Florida for the SEC championship and the right to go to the Sugar Bowl. After a loss to LSU at Thanksgiving. I am still smarting from the loss. However, a win on Saturday will make me feel so much better. If by chance we fall to Florida (which I do not think is a possibility) what will my prize be? Probably a trip to Dallas to play in the Cotton Bowl against Nebraska or Texas. That would be fine by me since I go to the game every year. Go Hogs!!! Piiig, Soooie, Raazoorbaacks!!! Go Hogs!!!
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Now a word about my beloved Tampa Bay Bucs... Never mind no need to take up space when I cannot say anything nice except, our helmets look good.
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I am excited about the things going on at church. We hosted a special service the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving and 61 showed up. It was a great night of worship and everyone loved it. On Sunday I am starting a Bible class on the Gospel of Matthew and a sermon series based on Christmas carols. I am really looking forward to sharing both of these with the congregation, especially the Matthew series. Next year ought to be a big year for us here at Van Alstyne. My prayer is that God will bless us richly with growth, numerically and more importantly spiritually. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for us.
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Finally...

Two pastors were on their way to Alanta, Ga. for a large Christian men's gathering. One of them had never been in the south before. After staying in a motel overnight, they stopped at a nearby restaurant for breakfast. When their meal was delivered, the pastor who had never been south before saw this white, mushy looking stuff on his plate. When the waitress came by again he asked her what it was. "Grits", she replied. "Ma'm I didn't order it and I'm not paying for it". "Sir, down here you don't order it and you don't pay for it, you just get it." Just like God's grace!

I was reading in Grace for the Moment, a daily devotional by Max Lucado today and Max asked if we would still serve and love God if all He gave to us was His grace? If our child was sick, we lost our job, our marriage was on the rocks... How would our relationship change if His answer was, "My grace is sufficient for you." It may me think about all the blessings I have been given and taken forgranted: my wife, children, family, friends. God's grace has been showered upon me over and over again. I have been given far more than I will ever deserve. Father, I pray that you will give to me a spirit that finds comfort and rest in your grace. May I always live a life that says, "Your grace is sufficient for me!" May I always bring glory and honor to your name!

Catching Up!!!

Wow a lot has happened since my last post. First, the obvious the kids and Danna returned from their time with her parents and I was so glad. To the surprise of everyone the house was not a wreck when they got home! We took the kids out at Halloween the businesses in downtown VA all get together and pass out candy in front of their business, which is neat. Then a member called us and ask us to come by her house because she bought something special for the kids. Anyway, several weeks ago I challenged the congregation to consider how and what they give in consideration of what we can do for the community if we gave of our first fruits. Contribution has been up the last three weeks and I think they really want to give and grow. Last Wednesday was my birthday and Danna surprised me with a trip to Tulsa to see the Mark Schultz concert. All I can say is AWESOME. Mark is my favorite single performer, while Third Day is still my favorite group. Bonnie and Brennen gave me Third Day's new Christmas Offerings CD, you will like it. Last Friday after we picked up the kids from Danna's parents we had dinner with my parents. My mom is going through withdrawals because she has seen the kids a total of one hour since we moved. Anyway, we kind of overstayed our welcome at On the Border because the waiter kept telling us he had a twenty-topper waiting to be seated. It never dawned on us what he was really saying (GET OUT NOW!) until he sat down and basically spelled it out to my parents. Needless to say were not to happy about how it was handled. Finally, this Tuesday night we are having a special Thanksgiving devotional service at Van Alstyne. We have been running announcements in the paper and tomorrow I am going to walk through town and personally invite everyone as I see them. I am real excited Jason Reeves is coming up with his family and he will be doing part of the devotional talk along with me. I am really looking forward to that night and I hope we get a ton of visitors.