Too Busy?

Have you ever thought that you just couldn't do it all? That you can't add one more thing to your to-do list? Do you spend the day running from one thing to the next? Are you in charge of too many projects already? Are you doing too many projects already?

And then someone asks you to do another.

It's a good thing - teach at Vacation Bible School, make a meal for a sick church member, work at Field Day at your child's school, be the secretary for PTA, clean up a sick lady's yard. But can you add anything else? You start to think that you can handle it. You would even be really good at it. You may be the best at it.

Today Randy Harris told a funny joke in our Sunday School class. He stated that it was told to him by a hermit - and you always listen when a hermit tells a joke.

A man went every month to see his spiritual mentor and get guidance. It was a regular appointment but this day the man was just too busy! There were lots of wonderful things that the man just had to do! How could he make time to talk about his spiritual life?! So, the man decided to make it a quick visit - get in, get out.

The man went to see his mentor and the mentor asked how it was going. Fine, great said the man. Nothing to talk about today. Hmmmm. The mentor was somewhat surprised but accepted the man's explanation. Whew! The man knew he would have time to get to his next task, meeting, job.... Oh, but he did want his Bible verses - his mentor always gave him verses to meditate on for the coming month. The mentor gave him just one verse. Just one? This was unusual but the man had to go!

In his car, he wanted to know what the verse was. Of course, his dome light was out, but he needed to know that verse! So the man got out of the car to read it using his headlights:

Are you the Messiah or should we look for another?

Alta Mesa Pics

Here are some pictures from our Alta Mesa Ladies Retreat. The decorations were so much fun. The Super 7 did a great job of planning and decorating!
Here is the goody basket that they put together for us! It was filled with awesome goodies, but the best part were the personalized notes to each of us from each woman on the planning team. It was such a blessing to have each note.

Here were just some of the drawing give aways for the ladies who came to the retreat. There were so many fun baskets and bags.





Here is one of the ladies who helped with the registration table. Her daughter, Diane, is a good friend of ours in Abilene.

This is my cousin's wife Karise. She was given a sweet gift from her friends and church family. Her husband (my cool cuz) took a job at a different congregation. I know that they loved their time with Alta Mesa and it was a very hard decision to move. Karise had quite a few surgeries this last year and I know that her church sisters ministered to her in so many ways. (Karise's doctor told her she no longer had any optional parts inside of her anymore, everything was a must keep)


This was a fun game. Each table had to come up with a "coffee themed" sentence. The best table won a prize.

Here are some of the Coffee Group. The top picture is of one of our friends' mom with Donna, "Anne's Mom", Sarah and Judy.

We had a great time with our sisters at Alta Mesa. One of the main messages that we try and impart is that we are all human, we all make mistakes, we all need each other. The importance of being real with our community of believers is part of the New Testament Church. Mourning and rejoicing with those who we walk along side during this time on earth is part of what we are called in to as followers of Jesus. Satan would have us just be too busy to stop and find a friend, and if we do find a friend, he would try and keep us quiet and not bare each others burdens. Don't fall for Satan's trap of loneliness, seek and pray for a godly friend.

Where Is That From?

Well, I'm finally on the Coffee Group blog! I finally feel like I've got something to say....

While at the Alta Mesa retreat I mentioned a favorite quote from an old Acappella CD (cassette tape really.) On the CD a voice says,

"I have come that you might have life and you might have it more abundantly!"

And then it goes into a song. At the retreat Donna thought it might be Marshall Keebler, a rather famous African-American preacher. I decided to ask a, hopefully, trustworthy source -George Pendergrass.

George was singing with Acappella at the time and I thought he might know where it came from. When asked who had said it George told me Jesus Christ. Duh. Another smarty-pants in my life! I knew Jesus said it, George! (John 10:10) George told me that it was his voice on the recording and they had great fun doing it.

Just wanted to set that straight. We had a great time working with George yesterday painting a little lady's house. It would appear that singing isn't his only talent!

Fellowship of the Unashamed

Tammy reads this as part of her talk at almost every Coffee Group speaking engagement! And you will see why it strikes such a cord with people. She gets frequent requests for it to be printed, etc., so we are simply putting it one more place for people to see. Be blessed:

"I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear. I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me. My banner will be clear!

-Found among the papers of a young Zimbabwe pastor after he was martyred