Loving God,
There are times in our lives when we are frustrated and angry at life because of certain circumstances. Then we realize the heartache and plight of those around us and our situation doesn’t seem so overwhelming. There is so much need and neediness in our world. Forgive us, O Lord, when we don’t count our blessings. Forgive us when we feel better because others around us feel worse. May the power of Your Eternal Presence sustain us and comfort us in the difficult times and may we find was to reach out to others as friends and as Christians, supporting them on their journey. The faithfulness of the community lifts us all. Sometimes our faith is tenuous and we must rely on the faithfulness of those around us. Sometimes they must rely on us. Please bless us on the Way. In Jesus name, AMEN.
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Kathy Eck forwarded this “mass” email from Connie Baker regarding her sister. It was sent Monday evening.
We will be meeting with neurosurgeon tomorrow at 11:00 am to discuss the future. The PA told us today that she will never be any better. She will always be in this state. She is not responding and is just breathing with the vents help. She is retaining fluid and is very swollen. She is pretty much already gone and is just existing.
So tomorrow will be a very difficult day for us all. We pray that God will help her to her next step on this journey and help us to handle this difficult situation.
We feel like her spirit is already in Heaven cause today we found a nickel!! That was Mother telling us that everything is going to be ok and not to worry.
God Bless Charlene.
Our love. C and L
I have not received any updates after this email. Please pray for Charlene, Connie and Lindy.
I JUST RECEIVED AN UPDATE (9:00 a.m.). CHARLENE DIED.
Jana Davis sent me a text message a little while ago. She had to take her mother, Joan Ingmire, to the emergency room at 4 a.m. They have gone home, but Joan is in a lot of pain. Please pray for Joan and Jana, her sole caregiver.
Marianna Powell and Ruth Webb are both hospitalized at St. Mary’s Hospital. Please pray for them.
You will see the Nikki Vance’s obituary in today’s paper. The funeral is tomorrow here at Central. Nikki and her family did not have a church home. The funeral home said it will be a large crowd and asked to use our facility. I said “absolutely”. We are also opening the Fellowship Hall for a meal provided by their family and friends. I joyfully put this in the category of “radical hospitality”. Thank you for your continued support of our congregation and the help maintaining this wonderful facility which allows us to help families like Nikki’s. Please continue to pray for them.
On a positive and uplifting note, I received the following email from John Westervelt, Maude Purnell’s son-in-law:
Rev John McLemore
Central Christian Church
Enid, OK
While cleaning out my computer files, I came across the story below written in 2004 about my mother-in-law Maude Purnell while she was living alone in her home.
Warmed My Heart
In our Sunday phone conversation, Mom Purnell, my mother-in-law, told me that the Central Christian Church of Enid has a group of caregivers that call on shut-ins. Mom said, “I’m not a shut-in, but a couple calls on me anyway.” Mom is ninety-nine years old and gave up driving last spring when a strong wind blew her off the back step of her home where she lives alone. She has been nursing a hurting leg.
Her ironing board was up when the caregiver couple stopped by on Saturday. Mom explained to her guests that she was fixing to iron and discovered that her iron wouldn’t heat.
After visiting for a while, the man said, “Let me take your iron and I’ll see if I can fix it.” A little later, the couple returned with a new iron. They insisted it was a gift.
On Sunday, Mom said, “I wish they would let me pay, but they wouldn’t.”
The couple, unknown to me, warmed my heart.
John Westervelt – Tulsa
The story warmed my heart as well. You never know how simple acts of care and kindness can effect others.
Don Johnson was asked to share his testimony at an Ohio State Gideon’s convention. He and Tary left this morning from Oklahoma City and will be returning Sunday afternoon. Pray for safe travels.
Tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. I will be at the OU Dermatology clinic in OKC. Dr. Garcia, a Mohs surgeon, will be removing a skin cancer from my nose. I solicit your prayers. There is no telling what I will look like the next few days.
The scripture for today is Matthew 22:1-14:
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet. ‘But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet. ‘Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ‘For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Grace and peace,
John McLemore
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