Not "If Only" But "next Time"

Not "If Only," but "Next Time"  

·        We hear it all the time. If only I hadn't had that accident.

·        If only I'd lived in some other place. If only I were more beautiful.

·        If only he had not died so young. If only people were friendlier to me.

·        If only I had more money. If only I were younger. If only I were older.

·         If only I had a different kind of job. If only people really knew my abilities.

·        If only--& it goes on & on. If only.

·        Psychiatrist :  Counseling session with a certain patient. "After listening to patient for a Long Time, I told him, 'I noticed that there are 2 words you use all the time. They are The Cause of your Emotional Depression. Wipe them from your vocabulary& you'll never have to see me again. The words are: IF ONLY. Wipe them out. They make you SICK.                                      In their place substitute these 2 words: NEXT TIME.'"

·        There's a world of difference between "if only" & "next time."

·        "If only" looks BACKWARD;         "next time" is a look FORWARD.

·        "If only" is a word of DEFEAT;     "next time" is a word of HOPE.

·       “To create more positive results in your life,                                         replace ‘if only’ with ‘next time’.”  Albert Einstein

·         Robert Schuller: DON'T CURSE Your Hurts.  DON'T NURSE Hurts. DON'T REHEARSE Them.     DISPERSE THEM! With God’s Help

·        How? MAX CLELAND, Strong at the Broken Places, DISPERSE HURT                 by Looking For Another Open Door.                                                                          When U LOOK 4 OPEN DOOR  …        UR BACK IS 2 T CLOSED DOOR!               &      EVERY TIME 1 DOOR CLOSES,           GOD OPENS ANOTHER!!!,

·                    YOU DISPERSE YOUR HURT WHEN YOU REVERSE IT.

Reversing it =Turn It Inside Out. You Turn The Problem Into A Partner. Turn UR SCAR intoaSTAR. FRUSTRATIONintoFRUITFUL EXPERIENCE

·       Let your HOPES, NOT your HURTS, SHAPE your FUTURE.

·        God, help me to erase "IF ONLY" from my vocabulary                                                            & remember that with You there is always a "NEXT TIME."

“One has to live in the present. Whatever is past is gone beyond recall; whatever is future remains beyond one’s reach, until it becomes present. Remembering the past & giving thought to the future are important, but only to the extent that they help one deal with the present.” – S.N. Goenka

·        Jesus was constantly giving people the power to move from                                          “if only” to “next time” in relation to their failures, & hurts!                 You find him again & again encountering failing people, & he always gave them that POWER TO COPE,   that HOPE to RISE ABOVE                                 the WAY that they had been in order to BECOME something different!

·        This is dramatically lived out in the passage from John 8: 1-11.

1.                 First thing he did was NOT 2 Answer their question verbally                BUT 2 stoop over &begin 2 Write with his finger in the dust.    It was Jesus' way of saying that that person for all of her problems,                 still had worth, still ought to be treated with dignity & respect.

2.  Second thing he did was also a MASTER STROKE.                                     Men continuing Manipulative Questions, he looks up & Says,       "The One Of You Who Has No Sin,Let ThatOneCastTheFirst Stone."

Jesus did not see people solely in terms of what they had done.                              He saw back of them to Who They Were & Where They Came From. Attempting 2 Deal with the Darkness Within By Attacking An Object Without.

·        IMPULSE   to  CONDEMN                 WOULD GIVE WAY                                                                   to the IMPULSE   of   COMPASSION.       

                             There is a great sense in which we all need the same things.

·        We stand on LEVEL GROUND UNDER THE MERCY OF CHRIST                          & BEG HIM TO HEAL US & TO FORGIVE US.

·        Robert Schuller: DON'T CURSE Your Hurts.  DON'T NURSE Hurts. DON'T REHEARSE Them.     DISPERSE THEM! With God’s Help

·        YOU DISPERSE YOUR HURT WHEN YOU REVERSE IT.

Reversing it =Turn It Inside Out. You Turn The Problem Into A Partner. Turn UR SCAR intoaSTAR. FRUSTRATIONintoFRUITFUL EXPERIENCE

·        Let your HOPES, NOT your HURTS, SHAPE your FUTURE.

·        God, help me to erase "IF ONLY" from my vocabulary                                                            & remember that with You there is always a "NEXT TIME."

Wounded Healer

Luke 4: 18   God sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to set the captives free, and to share the good news of the Lord!

What a journey this has been!  Most of the miles have been in South Georgia, but God has been with me as we journeyed with people through some of their most most joyful, challenging, difficult, painful, faith-building experiences.

Through it all, I've experienced Paul's four fold prayer:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10

Wounded Healer

Nobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" so we don't have to be embarrassed, but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?" When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers.

Jesus is God's wounded healer: through his wounds we are healed. Jesus' suffering and death brought joy and life. His humiliation brought glory; his rejection brought a community of love. As followers of Jesus we can also allow our wounds to bring healing to others.

from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

Invaluable gifts

Gifts That Don't Cost a Penny!

l Laughter:  Clip cartoons. Share articles & funny stories. Your gift will say,  "I love to laugh with you".             

l  Solitude:  There are times when we want nothing better               than to be left alone.    Be sensitive to those times                              & give the gift of solitude to others".

l A Favor:   Every day go out of your way                                                                       to do something kind.

l The Gift of a Written Note:    It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime.

l The Gift of a Compliment:  A simple and sincere, "You look great in red," "You did a super job," or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

l The Gift of a Cheerful Disposition:  The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone.

l These are eight important ways we can contribute toward whole and healthy relationships. They cost nothing, yet they may well be the most valuable gifts we can ever offer another.

Everybody's Normal???... till you get to know them!

Everybody's Normal… Till You Get to Know Them:

          Normal? Who’s Normal? Not you, that’s for sure!                                         No one you’ve ever met, either. None of us are normal according to God’s definition, and the closer we get to each other, the plainer that is.

          Yet for all our quirks, sins, and jagged edges, we need each other. Community is more than just a word—it is one of our most fundamental requirements.

     So how do flawed, abnormal people such as ourselves master the forces that can drive us apart and come together in the life-changing relationships God designed us for?

      In Everybody’s Normal Till You Get to Know Them, teacher and best-selling author John Ortberg zooms in on the things that make community tick.

     You’ll get a thought-provoking look at God’s heart, at others, and at yourself. Even better, you’ll gain wisdom and tools for drawing closer to others in powerful, impactful ways.

      With humor, insight, and a gift for storytelling, Ortberg shows how community pays tremendous dividends in happiness, health, support, and growth. It’s where all of us weird, unwieldy people encounter God’s love in tangible ways and discover the transforming power of being loved, accepted, and valued just the way we are.

                   I recommend this book.  It will not only make you feel better about yourself.  It will help you appreciate more the strange and wonderful people all around you.

Pastor George Durham

Gospel according to Country Music

THAT’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT SUNDAY:  CRAIG MORGAN

Raymond's in his Sunday best, He's usually up to his chest in oil an' grease.
There's the Martin's walkin' in, With that mean little freckle-faced kid,                                                        Who broke a window last week.                                                                      Sweet Miss Betty likes to sing off key in the pew behind me.

That's what I love about Sunday:         Sing along as the choir sways;
Every verse of Amazin' Grace,  An' then we shake the Preacher's hand.
Go home,into your blue jeans; Have some chicken an' some baked beans.
Pick a back yard football team,                        Not do much of anything:                                               That's what I love about Sunday.

I stroll to the end of the drive, Pick up the Sunday Times, grab my coffee cup.
It looks like Sally an' Ron, finally tied the knot,      Well, it's about time.
It's 35 cents off a ground round,          Baby. cut that coupon out!

That's what I love about Sunday:         Cat-napping on the porch swing;
You curled up next to me,                      The smell of jasmine wakes us up.
Take a walk down a back road,                        Tackle box and a cane pole;
Carve our names in that white oak,    An' steal a kiss as the sun fades,
That's what I love about Sunday,         Oh, yeah.

Ooh, new believers gettin' baptized,   Momma's hands raised up high,
Havin' a Hallelujah good time   A smile on everybody's face.
That's what I love about Sunday,  Oh, yeah.

That's what I love about Sunday,  Oh, yeah.

That’s what I love about Marty!

Bulletin fillers

Bulletin fillers:

Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.

- Natalie Babbitt

Faith is strengthened by

      The mountains it conquers,                                                   The dreams it fulfills,                                                                The peace is instills,

                              And The promise it believes.

                                                (Ellen Cuomo)

God's Hands…

·                    Today is in God's hands and so are you!

·                    God's Hands are strong and will uphold you;

·                    God's Hands are great and will enfold you;

·                    God's Hands are gentle and will embrace you;

·                    God's Hands are protective and will cover you;

·                    God's Hands are reassuring and will quiet you;

·                    God's Hands are powerful and will defend you;

·                    God's Hands are parental and will train you;

·                    God's Hands are masterful and will conform you;

·                    God's Hands are compassionate                                                                                          and will care for you;

·                    God's Hands are healing and will renew you;

·                    God's Hands are calming and will comfort you;

·                    God's Hands are giving and will bless you.

·                    God's Hands are the hands that hold you                                                                                             and will never let you down.

·                     -Roy Lessin, DaySpring co-founder and writer

A  DIFFERENCE  THIS SUMMER!

·         Come to church as often as you can;

·         Send your offering even when you’re out of town;

·         Call someone who is missing from the “regulars”;

·         Invite a visitor to go to lunch with you.

·         Call them next Saturday to invite them back ;

·         Invite someone to a class social.

·         Tell Pastor about new people on your street;

·         Keep your eyes open for people who may be looking for a  new church home;

·         Ask forgiveness from those you may have hurt;

·         Focus on the good things about our church!;

·         Pray for your pastor, church & our leaders;

·         Pray about where you can serve best in 2011;

·         Carefully consider mentoring someone to take your place on a committee so that you can use your energy in new areas of ministry;

·         Share constructive criticism with your pastor;

·         Consider hosting a small group in your home;

·         Offer to play an instrument, sing a solo, join the drama team, do a testimony;

·         Follow what God lays on your heart to do…                           even if it seems a little “crazy”!

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.                                           - Plato

The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others            and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us,                                 and … are silent when we should speak,                           the divine floods of light and life                                       no longer flow into our souls.                                            - Elizabeth Cady Stanton

What is that you express in your eyes? It seems to me                  more than all the print I have read in my life.                         - Walt Whitman

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I’m saying.  – Oscar Wilde

Dear Lord,

Please put your arms around my shoulder,               and your hands on my mouth!