Together Again!

The Jinx

As of this morning De Queen, Arkansas is only about 6 inches of snow from it worst winter in any ones memory. We have had about 7 inches of snow total this winter (none before I got here) and 13 inches seems to be the magic number that everyone remembers. Needless to say the new West Virginian in town is getting the blame. I'm a jinx.
Those who know me well know that the possibility of better weather was one of many reason we decided to move south. I have seen more than one day in the 70's since I got here and got to play a round of golf a couple of weeks ago. However, it seems I got off the weather haunted house in WV and got on the weather roller coaster here in southwest Arkansas.
Other than the good natured ribbing about my weather producing abilities my first couple of months in De Queen have been everything I have hoped for and more. The people here love each other, love God and are willing to do something about it.
Debi will be here next week and will be looking at current housing, and the possibility of building on some nice house sites. I can't wait to see her and can't wait to be able to wake up each morning with her beside of me. What a wonderful Valentine's Day present. If there is a lonely time here it's after 9:00pm when Debi and I used to share what happened during our day. It's just not the same over the phone. Teddy is doing great! He loves all the attention he get from the young people here and the fact he gets to go on one or two walks a day instead of being coop up in the house all winter.
THINGS I MISS OTHER THAN DEB- My Parents, The fact I have not been able be with my family during my Aunt's illness, My former church family, Not sports so much...I get to watch "The Herd" on Herd All Access there have been times I wished I hadn't :), My friends- I love you guys! COME TO DE QUEEN, THE WEATHER IS GOING TO GET BETTER, I PROMISE!

Firsts Are The Same No Matter Where You Are

On Wednesday of this week I attended my first Arkansas funeral, not so different from West Virginia both happy and sad. The departed Sister’s hope was is in a better place than here and she had suffered greatly in her last days on this side of eternity. Van Ledbetter, the retired minister from our church family did the service and delivered many encouraging thoughts. I was taken back!

On Thursday WE (God, I and the church family) had the opportunity to baptize a new Brother in Christ. I say WE because while a got to “dunk” him this has been a conversion story that started long before I got here. This church family has been studying and praying with about and for this new Brother for years. Of course God started it all when He came to earth as Christ and died on the cross. I gotta tell yet though if you have never had the opportunity to baptize someone it is a feeling that no drug will touch.

Now it’s Friday and I’m getting set to play my first round of golf in Arkansas. Myself, Van (the former minister) and a couple of others are set to tee off in less than hour. Did I mention it’s going to be 68 degrees today J? I will let you know how it goes but Van is 76 years old and shot his age last summer, I’m probably in big trouble. I love you guys!

T

The Pictures I Promised From The De Queen Church of Christ

I'm An Arkansan

This Friday will make 2 weeks into my journey to Arkansas and other than missing the people back in Wild-Wonderful greatly it is going fantastic. I haven’t had much time to get homesick between the work of the church here in De Queen and the amazing hospitality I’ve been shown. I can count the meals I have had to cook for myself on one hand and there is abundance of people wanting to watch football with my despite my black, gold and green wardrobe.

The parsonage in De Queen doubles as a youth house so I have 25 or so teens in my temporary home every Wednesday night. I LOVE IT! I get to eat and socialize with them before I head to the church building to teach my class on the book James. They are kind to let aging 46 year old pulpit minister have a good time with them. It reminds me so much of my Family Minister days at Hurricane although the Youth Minister here, Bobby Tatum, is better with young people than I ever was. Teddy loves having all the teens around he is the center of attention. The picture of me is one Bobby took when we visited a Mexican store today. I would have made a terrible cowboy!

This past weekend De Queen got more snow than they had gotten in 7 years, guess who got blamed  J

Everyone freaked out and they closed the state of Arkansas on Monday. Tuesday I went and got my Arkansas drivers license and car tags. It was so much better than the DMV experience in West Virginia and much cheaper. Anyway, the lady at the Assessors Office said that made it official, I told her you could take the boy out of the hills but you couldn't take the hills out of the boy.

I have gotten nothing but encouragement about my preaching and teaching. There are several school teachers in this church family but they seem to be willing to forgive my butchering of the English language. As a matter of fact, the whole church family seems to have a single focus on loving each other and loving others which how Jesus said we would know his people. And maybe these 2 verses sum up my first two weeks in De Queen, Arkansas best John 13:34-35 says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I LOVE ALL OF YOU,

T

Week One in De Queen

My Mom, myself and Teddy left Hurricane at 5:30am last Friday morning and some 30 hours and several caffeinated drinks later we arrived in De Queen, Arkansas. We could have made the same day but we ran into some severe thunder storms in Forrest City, Arkansas which forced us to find a hotel.
We got here about 11:30 am Saturday morning and 20 men from the church along with about a half dozen woman greeted us and unloaded our truck. A truck that it took Randy Tucker, Troy Cleland and myself about 6 hours to load was empty in 10 minutes. The church here had bought at least $100 worth of food so we would not have to go shopping right away. Alicia Tatum, the youth minister's wife, fixed a "New Years" supper. What a blessing Saturday was! I thought to myself, "even if I stay here 20 years this might be my best day in De Queen" at least till Debi get here.
Sunday morning class I started a series on "The Parables of Christ." The feedback was wonderful. If you attend church at Hurricane you have heard and maybe slept through my WDJD (What Did Jesus Do) series. That's what started with here in De Queen. You can't go wrong talking about Christ. The love that was shown to me Sunday morning as folks exited the build was amazing. Following Sunday Worship my Mom and I had lunch with Elder Gene Clowers and his family at his home. The food was great and to top it off Gene has Direct TV and I got to see my Steelers clobber the Browns.
Monday night they have something here called "Monday for the Master." After we ate 47 Christians, young and old made 29 visits. I have never seen anything like it! Several woman and youngsters that came made cards for the nursing home, shut ins and a folks they hadn't seen for a while. I was in awe as I sat back and watched this take place. Whatever is said about the folks in De Queen it can not be said they do not care about hurting and the lost.
Tuesday I got to help with the "Golden Agers." What a joy! It reminded me so much of working with wonderful people like Paul & Kitty Selan, Lee Prichard, Garnett Harless and so many others.
Wednesday I got to go make about 9 visits with Greg Revels and Bobby Tatum. Greg is one the youngest Elders I have worked with and is a CPA in town. Every Wednesday he and Bobby go to the nursing home in town and spread joy to people who don't get to see alot of joy. Bobby is my partner in crime and we have clicked together even from the time I interviewed in De Queen. Bobby loves people and it shows in everything he says and does. Working with him is one of the reasons I accepted the position in De Queen.
That brings us to Thursday. Took Mom to the airport and she flew home today. Got to spend sometime with my good friends Jim & Mandy Gardner today in Benton. We are making plans to see each other a lot more. Mandy can't wait for Debi to get here. So now I'm back home. The house seems a little emptier this evening. Teddy and I are just kicked back on the couch. Having Mom here this week was wonderful, I think she enjoyed De Queen and I know the people here enjoyed her. I will miss her and Dad greatly but I know this is where God wants me to be. I miss many things about WV (not the weather, it was 63 here today!) I love you all!
T

2011

Remember when Jesus went to the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He sat down to teach and Mary was sitting at His feet just soaking in every word. Meanwhile, Martha was out in the kitchen preparing dinner and Martha gets upset because Mary is not in the kitchen with her. She complains to Jesus in Luke 10:40, "Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

Jesus reply follows in verse 41 and 42. "Martha, Martha," Jesus answered, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.”
Now was Martha committing a sin by fixing a meal in the kitchen?  Of course not! But here’s the problem. She was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didn’t realize that God was in her living room.  We make the same mistake every day. We get so caught up in the here and now that we fail to deal with the eternal, the things that will last forever.
God gives us opportunities to be Jesus to other people, the Bible tells us so :) WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THEM!

If we can’t find someone in our life to tell about Jesus, we aren't looking very hard! If we can see someone for us to be Jesus in their life then we aren't looking with the eyes of Jesus.

We get so preoccupied with what’s going on in the kitchen we don’t know God is in the living room. He indeed may be standing right next to you in the form of the homeless, in the form of the hungry, in the formed of the hurting. He might be coworker or schoolmate and have a need. My prayer for 2011 is we make the most of the opportunities to be Jesus to others that God gives us.