Learning, loving, and living - Country, my friend!

     Last blog I mentioned the heat.  On Thursday of last week the thermometer in my Dodge Ram 1500 registered 103 degrees.  Today (Tuesday, July 2^nd) there was a feeling of fall in the air and the temperature was only in the mid 80’s.  I got out early this morning to work at little bit on the big oak tree at the church building with Larry Newland.  All the firewood has been cut, split, delivered, and stacked.  Even now the huge trunk is slowing burning into ash.  Chuck Loyd is maintaining the process.  Very soon Andy Kelly will be working on leveling the area where the tree used to be for a nice new play area for our children.  Larry Arnett and I took a look at one of the other trees just behind the annex for the possibility of a tire swing.  We’ll see what we can come up with.  God has blessed the Enola Church  of Christ with priceless and precious children.  I want every child to think of the church as a people and a place of family, friendship, learning, growing, joy, and happiness in Jesus Christ.  I love to hear parents tell me that their children can’t hardly wait for Bible class, worship, and fellowship with their friends and that they have to deal with their children crying because they have to leave to go home.  I realize that play areas, tire swings, and these kinds of things are just that, things.  The church’s #1 priority is and will always be Jesus Christ.  Even Jesus enjoyed being with His friends, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.  He went to a wedding in Cana.  He fished with His disciples.  He spent a lot of time in the garden.  He often spoke about the lilies of the field, the birds of the air, and we find that He loved children.  When it comes to children, Jesus said, “Of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

     Our Sunday morning sermon series “Putting God First” continues with a lesson on the letter “R.”  Are we putting God first in our relationships?  We’ve already asked, “Where am I spending my money?  Am I putting God first in my finances?”  We’ve also asked, “Where am I spending my thoughts?  Am I putting God first in my interests?”  When you think of friends, who do you think of?  I mean, who do you think of in the Bible?  When I think of friendship, I think of love.  I think of Jonathan and David, not Jonadab and Amnon.  I think of trust.  I think of God and Abraham, not Jesus and Judas Iscariot.  I think of respect.  I think of Aquila and Priscilla, not Ananias and Sapphira.  We’ll talk about friendship this Sunday.  I hope you will be present.  The drive up in the country will do you good.

     On Sunday evening this week we will focus our thoughts on freedom.  After all Independence Day is on Thursday.  It would do us good to take a little time to think about all the freedoms we enjoy every day, some complicated and sophisticated and others plain and simply.  Isn’t it funny how we overlooked the plain and simple too many times. 

     Remember our incredibly awesome VBS scheduled for Sunday evening, July 21^st through Wednesday evening July 24^th.  Sunday evening we begin at 5:00 p.m.  Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we will begin at 7:00 p.m.  Our theme is “It’s a Blue Ribbon Life” speaking of the Christian life of course.  We will be studying love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  You’ll recognize these as the Fruits of the Spirit.  I hope you will plan on being with us up in the country at Enola for one or all of these VBS sessions.  We have a class for adults too.  Bring the kids and stay for VBS for yourself.

     Remember the 4^th Annual Faulkner County Gospel Crusade too.  We’ll be meeting for six night at Reynolds Performance Center on the Campus of the University of Central Arkansas on July 14^th through July 19^th.  Our theme is “The Home as God Would Have It.”  Mark your calendar for this very special time of spiritual encouragement.