Awesome Day Sunday

Yesterday we enjoyed a great day at CUPC. It was evident everyone needed not only good church but needed one another. Misti Ferguson and I laughed before service because the foyer was literally a buzz. At one point there were probably 20 persons laughing and talking in the foyer. Normally our ushers try to escort people into the sanctuary so our visitors can be greeted adequately by our hospitality staff. Misti and I agreed what was happening was important. Though several are still without power we had a great crowd. Just as we enjoyed being with one another we also enjoyed being in the presence of the Lord. Our service was very good. God definitely met us there!

After lunch with the Summit's Kent and I made our way to the hospital to visit Marjorie Akers who is suffering from a stroke. We enjoyed visiting with Marjorie and her three daughters. Please keep this sweet lady in your prayers. I'm thankful that as we prayed she felt the sweet presence of God.

A good Sunday means a good nap. I enjoyed my nap more than usual. Our home was nice and cool and I was able to rest comfortably in my own bed. The storm helped me to be thankful for many small things!

Kent and I decided to surprise his parents last evening by visiting their church. MaMaw and Papaw have pastored the church in Hudson which is right out of Lufkin for a couple of years. Unfortunately this was our first time to be in service with them. Cynthia Koontz helps with their music. On Sunday nights when Brett and Dedee Cooley are not ministering otherwise they attend the Hudson church. Dedee plays the keyboard and sings. She and Sis. Koontz did an outstanding job of ushering us into the presence of the Lord. Bro. Cooley preached.

Bro. Cooley stated Paul talked about the present and the future but never mentioned the past. He spoke about how many have suffered abuse and problems but we can not allow ourselves be hindered by the past rather we should allow the past to form us and help us become stronger in the future. He told a story about a moth. Once someone decided to open the cocoon a little wider than the very small hole that moths escape. The moth did come out of the opening but was hindered greatly and did not survive. The body of the moth was very large and the wings were very small. In fact the moth was unable to use the wings to take flight. Later the person discovered that it is the tiny opening that appears to be such a struggle for the moth that helps to push the excess body fluids into the wings to further develop the wings and decrease the body size to one the wings can actually support.

I began to think about the moth and compare it to my life. I can pinpoint certain obstacles - death of my dad, infertility, sick children, etc and realize God has used these situations to help me mature and become stronger. Though these circumstances caused much pain or suffering I can not allow them to cripple me or cause bitterness. Past experiences causes many people to fail. Often negatives are carried into totally different situations and hinder our lives or our walk with God. Bitterness and hurt can destroy something totally unrelated to the original issue that created the pain or bitterness. People allow childhood hurts to create problems in their marriages, work environments, and friends. Because they have felt rejection they fear rejection again. Just as God forgives our sins from yesterday He can deliver us from our past responses to hurts.

Sunday I was awakened around 4:00 am and began to pray for someone. Again last night I was awakened and began to pray. God reminded me of Bro. Cooley's message. Today my prayer is that each of us will submit our yesterdays to God's mercy so our todays and tomorrows will be exactly what God plans for us. Often frustrations and insecurities we deal with today are totally unrelated to the areas they manifest themselves today.

I have witnessed people who did not have a good family life growing up spend much energy trying to create a totally different environment for their family. Often young adults decide they will have better careers than their parents. A child of an alcoholic will decide he will not raise his children with the selfish desires as the aolcoholic. While all this is good and admirable I also think we must use this same determination to not be so focused on the past when making today better. Often trying to overcome so forcefully keeps alive even the negatives brought about by the situations. Yes, we should use our past to be stronger or better but be careful to totally leave the past behind. Simply we must decide to be who God wants us to become today and not dwell on our hurts or our failures. I hope all this makes some sort of sense! It does in my head and I thank God I was able to hear Bro. Cooley's powerful message. I will certainly endeavor to help others by it.

After service I enjoyed visiting with Cynthia. Our children are best of friends and we always enjoy 'catching up'. Then we went with MaMaw, Papaw, Bro. & Sis. Cooley, Cherish, and Hunter to Cheddars. The Cooleys are so much fun. She is a very passionate person about many subjects. One of them is her Godly heritage. I share in this passion. She is an awesome wife and Mother. I enjoy watching her with Hunter and Cherish. MaMaw and Papaw are blessed to have the Cooleys frequent their church.

Kent and I are very proud of the work his parents are doing for God in Hudson. They have updated the buidling, added a fellowship hall and a nice parking lot. It is funny because they always fuss at Kent because he works too hard. Hummmmmmm excuse me they are in their 60's and still working very hard. Last night during the sermon Sis. Cooley practiced witht the children for an upcoming drama. Announcements were made about a big Fall Outreach event. While others are involved in the work and planning I also realize MaMaw and Papaw are very involved, too. I'm sure in the back of their minds plans are already in the works for a larger sanctuary.

I'm glad I was able to experience yet another AWESOME SUNDAY!